How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist According to Historical Records
If you follow rare Pokemon cards, the Pikachu Illustrator tops the list as the holy grail. This special promo card comes from a 1998 Japanese illustration contest run by CoroCoro magazine. Kids drew their dream Pikachu designs, and winners got these cards as prizes. But exactly how many were made? Historical records point to just 39 cards produced in total.[2][3]
The contest had clear prize levels. First place went to three winners, who each received one card. Second place had five winners, third place had ten, and fourth place rounded it out with 21 winners. That adds up to 39 cards handed out directly from the event.[2]
Not all cards stayed hidden forever. Over the years, a handful have surfaced in the collector world. Experts track graded versions through services like PSA. So far, only a few have been confirmed and slabbed in top condition. For example, Logan Paul bought the one known PSA 10 gem in 2022 for over 5 million dollars. It stands alone as the only perfect copy verified by graders.[3][4]
Other sales show PSA 9 copies fetching millions too, like one that hit 4 million at auction. These rare appearances confirm the tiny supply keeps prices sky high.[5] No one knows for sure how many of the original 39 still exist today. Some might be lost, damaged, or tucked away in private collections. Graded records suggest fewer than 10 have hit the market, making each one a collector’s dream.[2][3]
For price chasers on PokemonPricing.com, this scarcity drives the value. Even ungraded copies rarely pop up, and when they do, expect seven-figure bids. Historical contest details from old Japanese promo records form the backbone of this count, with no signs of more cards ever printed.[2] Keep an eye on auctions, as any new Illustrator sighting could shake up the market.
