The Most Expensive Pokemon Cards of All Time
From the $5.275 million Pikachu Illustrator to rare Base Set Charizards and Trophy Pikachus, these are the most expensive Pokemon cards ever sold.
A look at the holy grail of Pokemon cards and more record-setting sales.
Pokemon is one of the most popular trading card games around the world. People of all ages play the game, and even more collect the cards. Here’s a look at the most expensive Pokemon cards of all time!
The Holy Grail of Pokemon Cards — Pikachu Illustrator PSA 10: $5.275 Million
The Pikachu Illustrator was a Japanese Promo card awarded to the winners of CoroCoro Comic illustration contests. Only 41 copies are known to exist, and just one has earned the prestigious PSA 10 Gem Mint grade. Influencer Logan Paul bought the card in March 2022 for a total of $5,275,000. He traded his Pikachu Illustrator PSA 9 copy, worth 1,275,000, and $4 million cash in the private sale.
Although there is only one PSA 10 copy, many sales of lesser grades still rank among the most expensive Pokemon cards of all time. At Goldin Auctions in 2022, a PSA 7 sold for $900,000, and a CGC 9.5 sold for $672,000.
The Rest of the List of Most Expensive Pokemon Cards
Besides the Pikachu Illustrator, there are many other 6-figure Pokemon cards. Both the English and Japanese Base Sets are very valuable, but some early promos and other cards sit atop the list of the most expensive Pokemon cards.
1999 Pokemon Raichu #14 Holo Prerelease PSA 6: $550,000
Four prerelease Pokemon cards were awarded at some of the early Wizards of the Coast test leagues. This Raichu was the fifth card printed, but it was never released to the public. Rumor has it that it was printed by accident and only a handful of copies exist. This one, graded a PSA 6, sold for $550,000 at Heritage Auctions in September 2025.
1999 Pokemon English Base Set 1st Edition Charizard #4 Holo Shadowless PSA 10: $510,000
One of the most iconic Pokemon cards is the Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard. For many collectors, it’s one of the Pokemon holy grails. Sales for this card routinely crack the six-figure mark. At Goldin Auctions in January 2026, a perfect PSA 10 copy sold for $510,000.
1997 Pokemon Japanese Topsun Charizard Blue Back PSA 10: $493,230
Although this card is not from the Pokemon Trading Card Game, this rare Charizard card is one of the most expensive Pokemon cards of all time. The un-numbered Blue Back version is rarer than the other Charizard cards in the Topsun set. Only 7 copies have earned a PSA 10, with one selling for $493,230 at Goldin Auctions in January 2021.
1998 Pokemon Japanese Trophy Pikachu 1st Place PSA 9: $450,000
This card was given out to the winners of one of the first official Pokemon TCG National Championships. As the first-place winner, Pikachu is seen holding a gold trophy. A PSA 9 sold for $450,000 at Heritage Auctions in December 2025.
1998 Pokemon Japanese Trophy Pikachu 2nd Place PSA 10: $444,000
This card was given out to the second-place finishers in one of the first official Pokemon TCG National Championships. As the second-place winner, Pikachu holds a silver trophy. A PSA 10 copy sold for $444,000 at Goldin Auctions in September 2023.
1998 Pokemon Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star Hologram Blastoise CGC 8.5: $360,000
Wizards of the Coast commissioned the printing of this Blastoise card ahead of their presentation to secure English printing rights from Nintendo. The card has a holofoil on the front and a blank back. Only two exist, but the second copy has not publicly surfaced. This card, graded a CGC 8.5, sold for $360,000 at Heritage Auctions in January 2021.
1996 Pokemon Japanese Base Set Charizard #6 Holo No Rarity Symbol with Mitsuhiro Arita Autograph PSA 10: $324,000
Not only is this Japanese Base Set Charizard graded a perfect PSA 10, but the case is also signed by legendary Pokemon illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita. At the time of the sale, only 7 copies of the No Rarity Symbol version had earned a PSA 10. This copy, along with the signature on the case, sold for $324,000 at PWCC in April 2022.
1998 Pokemon Japanese Trophy Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze PSA 10: $324,000
This card was given out to the third-place finishers in one of the first official Pokemon TCG National Championships. As the third-place winner, Pikachu is seen holding a bronze trophy. A PSA 10 copy sold for $324,000 at Goldin Auctions in November 2024.
2004 Pokemon World Championships Promo Semi-Finalist Tropical Wind PSA 10: $300,000
The Tropical Wind promo card was given out to participants at the 2004 Pokemon World Championships at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This specific card was awarded to the six semi-finalists. Graded a PSA 10, this card sold for $300,000 on Fanatics Collect in January 2025.
Add Valuable Pokemon Cards to Your Collection
Although the most expensive Pokemon cards may be out of reach for many collectors, there are still plenty more cards that can level up your collection. Check out the AA Mint Cards online store for Pokemon cards and sealed products today!