The Pikachu Illustrator card is one of the rarest Pokemon cards ever made, with only 39 copies originally printed back in 1998. This prize card was given out exclusively to the top 39 winners of a Pokemon Trading Card Game illustration contest in Japan that year. No more were produced after that initial print run, making it a true one-of-a-kind collectible for serious Pokemon fans and investors.
To understand why so few exist, picture this: The contest asked kids to draw their own Pikachu artwork, and the judges picked just 39 standout entries. Each winner got a special Pikachu Illustrator card stamped with their name as a trophy. Wizards of the Coast, who handled the English Pokemon TCG at the time, never released it outside Japan, so these cards stayed super exclusive.
Today, finding one in good condition is almost impossible. Only a handful have surfaced at auctions over the years, often fetching millions of dollars. For example, a PSA 10 gem mint copy sold for over 5 million dollars in 2022, setting records. Even lower grades can go for hundreds of thousands because of that tiny original print number.
On PokemonPricing.com, we track prices for all sorts of Pikachu cards, but nothing beats the Illustrator for rarity. Compare it to newer promos like the 2024 Illustration Contest Pikachu #214, which has way higher print runs and sells for 15 to 140 dollars depending on grade. Those are cool, but they are mass-produced next to the original 39.
If you are hunting vintage rarities, always check grading from PSA or BGS, as condition drives value sky high. The low print run means supply stays fixed forever, while demand from collectors keeps climbing. Keep an eye on auction sites for any pops up, but expect fierce bidding.
