Pikachu Illustrator cards are among the rarest in Pokemon history, with only 39 known to exist by their unique nicknames given to contest winners.
These special cards come from a 1998 Pokemon illustration contest in Japan run by CoroCoro magazine. Kids entered drawings of Pikachu, and the top 39 winners each got one of these promo cards as a prize. Each card carries the winner’s nickname printed right on it, like “Tips-chan” or “Yukari-chan,” making every single one totally unique. No two have the same name, and that’s part of what makes them so special for collectors.
Experts track these cards through grading companies like PSA, which log them when owners send them in for authentication. All 39 are accounted for in the collector community, with none popping up unaccounted for over the years. Some have sold for millions, like the one Logan Paul bought for over $5 million in 2022 after it got a perfect PSA 10 grade. Others have hit high auction prices too, but not all are graded or public yet.
Prices swing wildly based on condition and grade. A top-condition PSA 10 can top $5 million, while lower grades still fetch tens or hundreds of thousands. The nicknames add a story to each card, tying them back to the original kid winners from 25 years ago. Collectors hunt for specific ones, like those with rare holo patterns or pristine edges.
If you’re chasing one, check graded population reports from PSA or BGS. They list the known copies by nickname, helping you spot what’s out there. These cards rarely hit the market, so when they do, prices spike fast. Keep an eye on big auctions for any fresh listings.
