How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist That Represent Pre Global Pokémon?
If you are chasing the holy grail of Pokémon cards, the Pikachu Illustrator stands out as one of the rarest from the early days before Pokémon went global. These special cards come from a 1998 illustration contest in Japan, held just before the worldwide TCG launch in 1999. They were prizes for the top three winners and a few staff, making them true pre-global treasures tied to Pokémon’s Japanese roots.[2][4]
Experts believe only about 39 Pikachu Illustrator cards were ever produced in total. This number comes from contest records and collector tracking, with most sources pinning it between 13 and 39 copies still known to exist today. Not all have surfaced publicly, and some might be lost or tucked away in private collections.[2]
What makes these “pre-global”? The contest happened in CoroCoro Comic magazine in 1998, fully in Japanese and before English cards hit stores outside Japan. The cards feature unique artwork by the winners, with the grand prize version showing Pikachu in a fancy illustrator outfit. They predate the Base Set and global hype, representing Pokémon’s origin story.[2][4]
Only a handful have been graded by PSA, the top grading service. Famous sales include Logan Paul’s PSA 10 copy, which he bought for over 5 million dollars in 2022. That card highlights how few perfect examples exist from this tiny print run.[2][3][4][5]
Prices reflect the scarcity. A PSA 9 sold for around 4 million dollars in one auction, while lower grades still fetch huge sums due to their history. No new ones are popping up, as they were never mass-produced.[5]
For collectors, owning one means holding a piece of Pokémon before it exploded worldwide. Track graded populations on sites like PSA or PriceCharting to see the latest pops, but expect competition from big names like Logan Paul.[1][2][3]
