How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist That Represent Scarcity at Its Peak
If you chase the ultimate Pokemon card prizes, the Pikachu Illustrator sits at the top. This tiny promo card from 1998 Japan rewards the best artists in an illustration contest. Only a handful exist, making it the king of scarcity.
Back in 1998, CoroCoro magazine ran a drawing contest for kids. Winners got this special Pikachu card as their prize. The artwork shows Pikachu with a red cheek mark and a paintbrush. It never hit stores or packs. Instead, just the top artists claimed them.
Experts estimate between 13 and 100 copies in total. Some sources narrow it to around 39 printed. But only a few have surfaced in public sales or grading. PSA, the top grading service, has checked just a couple in top shape. That low number drives prices sky high.
Take Logan Paul’s buy in 2022. He dropped over 5 million dollars on a pristine PSA 10 version. It made headlines and showed how rare these cards stay. Even lower grade ones fetch huge sums because so few owners let them go.
Scarcity peaks here because no more will ever print. Unlike common Pikachus like the 2024 Illustration Contest promo number 214, which sells for 15 to 20 dollars raw, the original Illustrator hides in private vaults. Recent sales of that newer promo hit eBay at 12 to 20 bucks near mint. But the 1998 gem? It laughs at those prices.
Grading matters big time. A perfect 10 means sharp corners, clean edges, and dead-center print. Factory flaws or light handling drops the score fast. With so few high grades out there, each sale resets records.
Collectors dream of finding one in old Japanese stashes. Rumors swirl about hidden winners who never sold. That mystery keeps the hunt alive. For price trackers, every graded pop changes the game. Check sales history on sites like PriceCharting to spot trends, but for Illustrator, patience rules.
This card proves rarity rules Pokemon prices. Low supply meets wild demand from fans worldwide. If you spot one, think twice before flipping it.
