Pikachu Illustrator cards are among the rarest Pokemon cards ever made, with only 39 known to exist in total. No official count tracks exactly how many of these have surface scratches, but experts estimate scratches affect a notable portion due to the card’s fragile holographic surface.
These cards come from a 1998 Japanese promo tournament where winners got a special Pikachu Illustrator card. The holo finish shines bright but scratches easily, much like other early holos such as Base Set Chansey, where even light marks show up clearly on the light background[1]. Surface scratches happen from handling, storage, or even the printing process, and they lower a card’s grade when checked by PSA or BGS.
Grading looks at scratches as a key flaw, along with edges and corners[4][5]. A perfect PSA 10 needs no visible scratches under magnification, which is tough for these old cards. Most Pikachu Illustrators grade lower, often PSA 7 to 9, because minor surface issues knock down the score. Population reports from PSA show around 39 total graded, but breakdowns by grade are not public for this card. Collectors note that ungraded or low-grade copies often have visible scratches from years of play or display.
Scratches cut value fast. A scratched Pikachu Illustrator in PSA 7 might sell for under $100,000, while a scratch-free PSA 9 or 10 can top $1 million or more at auction. Holo cards like this prone to marks from the start, as ink and foil layers wear with time[2]. Some errors from printing, like ink spots, mimic scratches and hurt condition too.
For buyers on PokemonPricing.com, check slab photos closely for surface flaws. Use a loupe to spot tiny scratches that graders catch. Raw cards risk hidden damage, so graded ones give safer info. Rarity plus condition drives prices, and scratches make even these ultra-rares less desirable. Track recent sales to see how surface quality shifts values up or down.
