Pikachu Illustrator cards are among the rarest Pokemon treasures, with only about 39 known to exist in total, but the exact number held in trusts or estates remains unknown and unconfirmed by public records.
This legendary card comes from a 1998 Japanese illustration contest run by CoroCoro magazine, where just 39 winners received one as a prize. Experts believe that’s the full print run, making it the holy grail for collectors. High-profile sales, like Logan Paul’s $5 million purchase of a PSA 10 gem in 2022, spotlight its value, but many copies stay out of sight.[2][3][4]
Trusts and estates add a layer of mystery. These are legal setups where valuable items, like rare cards, get tucked away for heirs, tax reasons, or privacy. Owners of ultra-rare cards often place them in such holdings to avoid public auctions or theft risks. For Pikachu Illustrator, no official count tracks how many sit in trusts or estates. Grading services like PSA log around 20 graded copies, but that’s just what’s submitted publicly. The rest could be locked in private collections, family vaults, or estate plans.[2]
Think about it: with cards worth millions, savvy owners use trusts to pass them down without probate hassles or huge taxes. Estates might hold cards from original winners who have passed away, waiting for distribution. Pokemon experts guess a handful, maybe 5 to 10, could be in these setups based on whispers from the collector community, but nothing solid backs that up. Recent sales data shows active trading of other Pikachu promos, like the 2024 Illustration Contest #214 fetching $12 to $20 raw, but nothing on Illustrators in trusts.[1]
For price hunters on PokemonPricing.com, this scarcity drives wild values. A PSA 10 can top $5 million, while lower grades still hit six figures. If a trust releases one, expect auction fever. Keep watching grading pops and estate sales for clues, as fresh info could shift the market overnight.
