Have you heard of Pikachu Illustrator cards that are “locked by sentiment”? In the world of rare Pokemon cards, this term means owners hold onto them so tightly due to emotional attachment or personal stories that they never sell or trade them. These cards stay out of the market forever, making the ones that do pop up even more valuable.
The original Pikachu Illustrator comes from a 1997 Japanese promo contest. Only about 39 were ever made, but not all are accounted for today. Experts believe 13 to 100 might still exist in some form, though many think the real number of known copies is much lower, around a handful that have been graded by PSA.[2][3] Among these, Logan Paul bought the only known PSA 10 version in 2022 for over $5 million. It is pristine and one-of-a-kind in that grade.[3][4]
What makes some “locked by sentiment”? Collectors often keep them because of family history, like inheriting from a parent, or a memory tied to winning the original art contest. For example, top copies owned by the original artists or their families rarely surface. No one knows the exact count, but guesses point to at least 5 to 10 Pikachu Illustrators sitting in private vaults, untouched for decades. Auction records show PSA 9 versions hitting $4 million recently, proving how scarce the available supply is.[5]
This scarcity drives prices sky-high. When one does sell, like the PSA 9 from collector smpratte, it grabs headlines because so few circulate. Unlike common promos such as the 2024 Pikachu #214 from the Illustration Contest, which trades for $15 to $20 near mint with steady sales, the original Illustrator has almost no market flow.[1]
For collectors chasing these, tracking graded populations on sites like PSA is key. Right now, just a few dozen total Pikachus have grades, and perfect 10s are mythical outside Paul’s card. If you own one locked away, its sentimental lock might make it priceless to you but a goldmine to others. Keep an eye on auctions, as any release from a sentimental hold could shake up the market.
