How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist Compared to Rare Coins
If you collect Pokemon cards or rare coins, you know scarcity drives value. The Pikachu Illustrator card stands out as one of the rarest Pokemon items ever made, and stacking it against rare coins shows just how exclusive it is.
First, lets look at the Pikachu Illustrator. This card comes from a 1998 Japanese illustration contest where only the top 39 winners got one as a prize. Experts believe just 13 to 100 copies exist in total today, with only a handful graded by PSA, the top grading service. Logan Paul dropped over 5 million dollars on one in 2022, and another PSA 9 version sold for 4 million dollars in a recent auction. That tiny supply makes it tougher to find than most holy grails in collecting.[2][3]
Now compare that to rare coins. Take something like the 1933 Double Eagle gold coin, with only 13 known to exist. It sold for 18.9 million dollars in 2021. Or the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, where about 120 to 150 survive out of a small mint run. These coins fetch millions too, but their numbers often match or beat the Pikachu Illustrators count. Even super rare modern coins, like certain error pieces, usually have dozens or hundreds tracked by numismatists.
Pikachu Illustrator edges out many coins in raw hype because of Pokemon fandom. Its print run was tiny from the start, never meant for wide release. Coins from old mints can have similar low survival rates due to melting or loss over time. Both markets reward patience, with graded versions commanding the big bucks. For Pokemon fans eyeing prices on sites like PriceCharting, this card stays in a league of its own, much like top coins do for investors.[1][2]
Spotting a Pikachu Illustrator in the wild feels like finding a one-in-a-million coin in pocket change. Collectors chase both for that thrill, but the mouse cards low count keeps prices electric. Keep checking sales data to track shifts in either market.
