Have you ever wondered how many of those ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator cards are tucked away in family safes, passed down like grandma’s jewelry? This card, from a 1998 Japanese illustration contest, is the holy grail of Pokemon collecting, with only about 39 known to exist in total.[2] Out of those, experts estimate just 13 to 20 might still be held as family heirlooms, never hitting the open market or grading services like PSA.[2]
Back in 1998, CoroCoro magazine ran a contest where kids drew their dream Pikachu cards. The top 20 winners got these special promo cards printed just for them, complete with their names on the artwork.[2] A few extras were made for judges and staff, pushing the total confirmed copies to around 39 today.[2] But not all have surfaced. High-profile sales, like Logan Paul’s $5 million PSA 10 buy in 2022, grabbed headlines, yet many owners treat theirs like priceless antiques.[3][4]
Why heirlooms? These cards were prizes for children, often kept as mementos by families in Japan. Some winners grew up, had kids, and passed them down without ever selling or grading them. Auction houses and trackers like PSA have only graded a handful in top condition, leaving the rest in private hands.[2][4] For price hunters, this scarcity drives values sky-high, with pristine ones fetching millions while ungraded family-kept copies could be worth even more if they ever appear.[3]
Spotting one? Look for the telltale illustrator credit with a kid’s name, like the famous “Atsuko Nishioka” version. Recent sales of common Pikachu promos, like the 2024 Illustration Contest #214, go for $15 to $20 in near mint, but that’s worlds away from the original Illustrator’s league.[1] Families holding these gems rarely budge, making them the ultimate long-term holds for collectors dreaming of generational wealth. If your attic has old Japanese Pokemon mags from the 90s, it might be worth a gentle dig.
