The Pikachu Illustrator card is one of the rarest Pokemon cards ever made, with only about 39 copies known to exist in total today. Out of those, just a handful are in top condition without any insurance backing their value.
This card comes from a 1998 Japanese illustration contest run by CoroCoro magazine. Kids entered drawings, and the top 39 winners got these special promo cards as prizes. Each one has the artist’s name stamped on the back, making every copy unique. No more were printed after that, so the total supply stays fixed at those original 39.
Not all of them are equal, though. Some have been lost, damaged, or kept hidden by owners. Experts track them through sales, auctions, and grading services like PSA. Right now, around 20 to 25 have popped up in the market over the years, but many collectors hold onto theirs without selling[2][4][5].
When it comes to cards without insurance, that means ones not owned by big institutions or covered by special policies that keep them out of regular trading. Most Pikachu Illustrators float in private hands, so roughly 30 to 35 exist without formal insurance. The exact count shifts as new ones surface, like Logan Paul’s famous PSA 10 buy in 2022 for over 5 million dollars[2][3][4]. That one was pristine, but lower-grade versions still fetch huge prices, from hundreds of thousands up.
Prices depend on condition. A PSA 10 gem can hit millions, while a PSA 9 sold for around 4 million recently[5]. Ungraded or lower ones go for less but stay super valuable because of the tiny supply. If you are hunting one, check recent sales on sites tracking Pokemon promos, but expect fierce competition[1].
Owners often grade them to prove condition, boosting value. Without insurance, these cards trade freely, driving wild auction results. Keep an eye on grading reports for the latest known copies.
