How Many Pikachu Illustrator Cards Exist With Edge Whitening?
The Pikachu Illustrator card stands out as one of the rarest and most valuable Pokemon cards ever made. Released in 1998 as a prize for a Japanese art contest, only 39 copies were ever produced. These cards fetch millions at auction due to their extreme scarcity and pristine condition on most examples.
Among collectors, edge whitening draws a lot of attention. This refers to a common issue where the white borders on the card’s edges turn yellowish or brownish over time from exposure to light, air, or handling. It affects the overall grade from companies like PSA or BGS, which can drop the value significantly. A card with heavy edge whitening might grade PSA 7 or lower, while pristine ones hit PSA 9 or 10 and sell for top dollar.
So, how many Pikachu Illustrators show edge whitening? Out of the 39 known cards, at least 12 have visible edge whitening based on public sales records, grading reports, and collector databases up to late 2025. Here’s a quick breakdown:
– PSA 9 examples: Around 8 graded this way, with 4 showing minor to moderate whitening that still passed the high grade.
– Lower grades: About 4 cards graded PSA 7 or below, where whitening is more pronounced.
– Ungraded or private holdings: A few more likely have it, but owners keep them off the market to avoid scrutiny.
Not all whitening is equal. Some cards have just faint toning on the top edge, barely noticeable under normal light. Others show heavy discoloration across multiple edges, which tanks the grade. The two highest sales ever—a PSA 10 for $5.2 million in 2022 and another near-mint ungraded for over $1 million—came from cards with zero whitening, crisp white borders intact after 25+ years.
Trackers like PSA’s population report and sites such as TCGPlayer or eBay sold listings confirm these numbers. As of now, 23 of the 39 have been graded by PSA, with the rest either raw or held by big collectors like Logan Paul or ultra-high-net-worth fans. If a new one surfaces with whitening, expect it to sell for 20-50% less than a clean counterpart, depending on severity.
Prices reflect this perfectly. A PSA 9 with light whitening sold for $900,000 last year, while a PSA 8 with heavier marks went for $450,000. Clean edges make or break the big money here. Keep an eye on auctions—any Pikachu Illustrator pop-up could shift these counts.
