The 20 Most Expensive Pokémon Cards Ever | TCGplayer Infinite Homepage magic-the-gathering yugioh pokemon lorcana

The 20 Most Expensive Pokémon Cards Ever

Real-life Shinies, and the cost of catching 'em all.

By Eva's Binder | Published 5/9/2024 | 23 min read

Countless rare Pokémon cards have been printed in the 27-year history of the franchise, but only the rarest Pokémon cards command the kinds of prices that would make Team Rocket blush.

When collectors trade or sell these cards, we often never hear about it—nobody wants to share how much they paid or received, because that information might impact future deals. That said, a few high-end transactions have become public knowledge, and these Pokémon card values are staggering.

These cards hold the record for the most expensive Pokémon cards ever sold.

#20 Tamamushi University Magikarp (1998)

This card was distributed exclusively to participants who aced the Hyper Professor Exam, the hardest in a series of Pokémon trivia quizes run by Shogakukan as part of its Tamamushi University campaign in 1998. Tamamushi University is a fictional university in Celedon (Tamamushi being the Japanese name for Celedon), and Japanese magazine publisher Shogakukan gave fans a chance to "enroll" by mailing in answers to a quiz. Other quizzes followed that awarded things like a Professor certificate, a school badge pin, and a university pennant.

This Magikarp was only awarded to fans who passed the Hyper Professor Exam, and given the low number of passing grades, it seems likely that participants had to get every single question right—which required remembering the exact sequence of "PIKA" and "CHU" that Pikachu writes in its thank-you letter for receiving a Watt in Pocket Pikachu.

Featuring artwork by Ken Sugimori of Magikarp with a distinctive "Tamamushi University" logo, the card stands out for its historical significance and the lore surrounding its distribution. Less than 100 copies have been graded by PSA, with just 14 PSA 10 copies.

#19 Snap Gyarados (1999)

The "Snap Gyarados" card, stemming from a unique 1999 collaboration between Pokémon and CoroCoro Comic, is a prized collectible featuring an in-game photograph from Pokémon Snap. 20 copies of each winners' respective cards were awarded, however some have far fewer copies in circulation. Whether this is due to winners holding onto their cards or even losing them as they grew up remains a mystery. In the case of Gyarados however, several copies have surfaced. Because of this, the Snap Gyarados is only the third most expensive Snap card on this list. I highly recommend checking out maxmoefoePokemon's (very entertaining) video on this card.

This card sold in July of 2023, shortly after the announcement that CGC would be updating its grading scale. This change upgraded all existing "Gem Mint 9.5" cards to CGC 10, which could be re-slabbed with new labels reflecting the upgrade. Because of this change, the prices of all 9.5s were inflated given the additional perceived value of "10" as opposed to "9.5", despite being the exact same cards and in the same condition. Although prices have come down somewhat, many 9.5s remain above their pricing prior to the announcement. This is a great example of people's willingness to "buy the grade" as opposed to the card.

It's likely that if this card were sold today, it would go for a lower price than the July 2023 copy for this very reason.

#18 Pokémon World Championships No. 2 Trainer Promo (2006)

This card was awarded to finalists in the 2006 Pokémon World Championships, which were held in Anaheim, California. Players had to survive three days of tournament play, and it's thought that only three copies were ever given out. This is also the only copy that's ever been graded by PSA.

It's actually quite fortunate that we have this sales datapoint for this card, because trophy cards like these almost always are sold in private transactions. Were that not the case, there's a very good chance this list would be filled with trophy cards. Being a No.2 Trainer from 2006 graded in a PSA 9, I would argue this isn't even all that desirable of a trophy card. Despite that, it managed to sell for $110,100 on PWCC in February 2021.

#17 Snap Magikarp (1999)

The "Snap Magikarp" card, a rare and unique Pokémon card, emerged from the same collaboration as "Snap Gyarados" and "Snap Pikachu," involving Pokémon and CoroCoro Comic. This card is distinguished not just by its rarity but also by its origin story, which dates back to a 1999 contest where participants submitted photographs taken in the Pokémon Snap game. The winning entries were transformed into official Pokémon cards, with the "Snap Pikachu" being the most coveted among them—more on that later.

Its distinctive feature is the candid photograph style of the 3D Magikarp, differing significantly from the traditional illustrated cards. While quite a derpy card, its rarity and unique backstory make it a prized possession for collectors, symbolizing a fascinating intersection of Pokémon video gaming and trading card collecting. This crossover piece is a testament to the innovative ways in which the Pokémon franchise has engaged its fans, particularly early on in the history of the franchise, making the "Snap Magikarp" a nostalgic and valuable artifact within the Pokémon community.

This card has only surfaced once, and prior to the 2022 sale to Pokétuber smpratte, had never been seen online.

#16 No.2 Trainer Toshiyuki Yamaguchi (2000)

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this card? Despite being #10 on this list, No.2 Trainer Toshiyuki Yamaguchi is the only card here that is truly one of a kind. It was awarded to Toshiyuki Yamguchi in 2000 after attaining second place in the "World Summer Challenge Secret Super Battle-Best In Japan."

A single card was given to each of the first, second, and third place winners of the event. What makes this Pokémon card so unique is that it actually features the trainer. Until Heritage Auctions acquired this card, no images of it had ever surfaced. I was actually lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this and several of the other cards on this list at Card Party:

Despite only being a CGC 8, this card sold for $137,500 on July 7, 2023. If I had my way, this card would be a lot higher on the list. It's just so… perfect.

#15 Neo Genesis 1st Edition Lugia (2000)

This BGS 10 1st edition Neo Genesis Lugia sold for $144,300 at a PWCC audition in May 2021. Beckett is known to grade harsher than PSA (at least when it comes to high grades), in part because they include 9.5's in their grading scale. For reference, at the time of sale there were only three BGS 10 copies of this card, whereas there were 41 PSA 10 copies. This is reflected in the price as well. The prior record for this card went to a PSA 10 copy sold in 2020 for $129,000.

Unfortunately for those buyers, Neo Genesis 1st Edition Lugia has come down a lot in price. There's currently one available for $80,000 or best offer available on eBay. Given that it's still sitting there, the card is likely worth even less now. This card is a great example of how people can buy into the hype. Back when this card first sold for over $100k, so many people started buying it up, whether to try to get a 10, or in the hopes they could get a premium for their lower grades due to the record sale.

#14 Super Secret Battle No. 1 Trainer (1999)

This card both looks extremely unique, and also has a very unique back story. It was awarded to seven regional winners of the Super Secret Battle tournament. The card's text reads, "The Pokémon Card Game Official Tournament's champion is recognized here, and this honor is praised. By presenting this card, you may gain preferential entry into the Secret Super Battle." The location of the tournament was only revealed upon winning one of these No. 1 Trainer cards. The finals took place in Tokyo on August 22, 1999.

Since there were only seven regional winners, it is assumed that there are only seven copies of this card in existence. Interestingly, PSA has a total population of eight for this card, with six of those being PSA 10s, with the other two being PSA 9s. Most likely, someone resubmitted their copy in an attempt to get a 10.

This card is one of the rarest Pokémon cards of all time. The most recent public sale of this card was for $156,000 in September 2022 from Heritage Auctions. Prior to that, the last public sale of this card was in 2020 for $90,000, so it's actually appreciated substantially in the past few years. (And I certainly wouldn't say that about all the cards on this list!)

#13 Extra Battle Day Lillie (2019)

Initially, this card was going to be much lower on this list. A PSA 10 copy sold for $108,000 on PWCC in June 2023. However, after some digging, I found that a BGS 10 copy sold for roughly $171,000 in August 2023 on the Chinese auction site, Xianyu. To my knowledge, there are no English language articles or any sort of documentation really of this sale. The only reference I could find to this sale in English was on this Elite Fourum thread. Props to them!

After some digging, I was able to find some Chinese sources with more information to help verify this sale. You can read the articles auto-translated, but I'd just like to note at least on my computer they mistranslate 今日 as "recently" when in reality, it means "today" when referring to the time of the sale. (Finally a use for my degree!)

This means we can confirm with relative confidence that this card did indeed sell for $1.225mm RMB on August 3, 2023. While I haven't found verification the listing was definitively paid for, based on what I've heard from others, at that time private sales in China were going for over $100k for PSA 10s relatively consistently for a short period. So a BGS 10 hitting that price isn't out of the realm of possibility.

#12 Family Event Trophy Kangaskhan (1998)

This adorable Kangaskhan has quite a wholesome backstory. Released in May 1998, it could only be obtained in the Parent/Child Mega Battle tournament in Japan. It was awarded to parent and children teams who attained a certain amount of wins.

It also contains a very special set symbol on the lower right of the art box. It was one of a very few, very early, promotional Pokémon cards to feature the original Pocket Monsters Trading Card Game logo as its set symbol. Many of the cards possessing this symbol are among the rarest Pokémon cards in the hobby. So, in the slim chance you encounter this symbol in the wild, don't skip over it!

#11 Umbreon Gold Star, Japanese 70,000 Points PLAY Promo (2005)

The Japanese Gold Star Umbreon was originally acquired through the Pokémon Players Club in Japan by amassing 70,000 points by the end of the fourth season of play. This unique system required participants to engage in various Pokémon-related activities and events to earn points, demonstrating a significant commitment to the Pokémon community and its activities. For reference, players started with 1000 points and you would only get either 50 or 100 points for attending events and having matches. Additional points could be earned by placing in tournaments. Given the short time frame, the requirement of 70,000 points made the Gold Star Umbreon not just a symbol of rarity but also of dedication, as obtaining such a high number of points was no small feat. This was also at a low-point in the popularity of the Pokémon TCG, only adding to the rarity of this card.

The sale of this copy of Umbreon Gold Star is the newest addition to the list and a massive price jump over prior comparable sales. Prior to this, the highest confirmed sale was just $78,000 on PWCC. Interestingly, PWCC noted in the description of that card that it does have slight whitening on the back, despite being a PSA 10 copy. 2 certs (cards whose PSA certification number begins with "2") often have minor flaws in even PSA 10 condition. While there is no hard and fast rule and there are always discrepancies among graded cards, it is particularly important to check older certifications for whitening or other small imperfections if that is important to you. It is likely that this newer certification sold for a premium in part because of that reason.

#10 Test Print Blastoise Gold Border (1998)

While this card may look fake to some, it is one of the rarest and oldest Pokémon cards. This is considered one of the earliest attempts by WotC to produce English Pokémon cards. It's notable for its odd font and its back, which is the same as for Magic: The Gathering cards. It also has a distinctive gold border around the art box, a foil front, and sharp edges.

Given the unique nature of these cards, it was difficult to prove they were even real. CGC employed a panel of experts and "advanced forensic technology" to prove the cards were real. Another compelling piece of evidence was the emergence of a test sheet containing the Blastoise and other MTG cards:

I highly recommend this blog post by CGC discussing the origin story in more depth.

This Test Print Blastoise is incredibly rare, and only five have ever been graded by CGC. Despite only being a 6.5, this card sold for $216,000 in July of 2021. In fact, a second copy in the same grade also sold for the exact same price in November 2021.

#9 Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed Promo (2017)

This was a promotional card released in 2017 for the birthday of the then-60-year old founder and president of Pokémon, Tsunekazu Ishihara. It was distributed to Pokémon employees. We don't know for certain how many copies were printed, but it currently has a total population of 10 from PSA and an additional 12 from CGC.

It's certainly an outlier on this list, considering that its value comes primarily from the creator's signature. The signature itself is graded a 9, and the card is only a PSA 7! For reference, a PSA 10 copy sold in 2020 for just $100,000, and that's only a pop one! I imagine they are really regretting not asking their boss to sign their copy of the card. It's also a bit ironic that it seems the print quality on this card isn't very good!

I'm not going to lie, looking at this card makes me slightly uncomfortable. While it definitely has a cool origin, it's also giving me uncanny valley vibes.

#8 Snap Pikachu (1999)

Snap Pikachu was released as part of the same competition as Snap Magikarp and Snap Gyarados.

The sale of this card is truly remarkable. It is one of the greatest examples that despite how long Pokémon has been around, how developed the market has become, and so many individuals researching to learn all they can about this hobby, that there is always more to be discovered. For decades, nobody had even seen this card. That all changed when a single copy surfaced in 2023. One of the hobby's most notable collectors, Dubsy, acquired the card from a store in Japan, for the hefty price of $270,000.

I highly recommend you check out the YouTube video recording the day of the acquisition. It shows the card in video format and captures the significance in a strangely profound way. It gives a rare insight into the sorts of high-end sales that typically remain private.

While not the most expensive card on this list, or even the most expensive sale of 2023, this is perhaps the most significant sale from a historical perspective.

#7 Trophy Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze (1997)

If only the No. 3 Trainer was in the No. 3 spot on this list! This extremely cute Pikachu trophy card was only obtainable in the first ever Pokémon tournament. Held in June 1997 in Chiba Japan, only four third-place winners from each event received a copy. It also granted entry to the Lizardon Mega Battle Tournament, which is considered the first official National Championships for Pokémon.

This card is one of the most recent additions to this list—a PSA 8 sold for $300,000 at Heritage Auctions on April 21, 2023, instantly making it one of the most valuable Pokémon cards in the world. Just imagine how much the No.1 Trainer from this tournament must be worth.

#6 Charizard, No Rarity Symbol, w/ Mitsuhiro Arita Signature on Case (1996)

Well less known than its English shadowless counterparts, like English Base Set, there is a way to distinguish the earliest printing of Japanese Base Set. While it doesn't have a glaring "1st Edition" stamp on it, the earliest printing of Japanese Base Set does not have the rarity symbol that has become ubiquitous with Pokémon cards.

While it seems like a trivial detail, many serious collectors highly value rarity, and also the first printing of something. And not only is this the first printing of Japanese Base Set, it is the first ever printing of Charizard in the Pokémon TCG. While there were other cards printed featuring Pokémon coming out around that time or even earlier, most notably Topsun, those are not part of the card game legacy that has stood the test of time to this very day.

As the first printing of Charizard to feature the iconic Base Set artwork of Mitsuhiro Arita, this card is a part of Pokemon history. While a standard PSA 10 copy of this card is very rare and expensive, with only 8 examples being graded as such, the signature by Mitsuhiro Arita on the case adds even more value. It's unfortunate that the signature is on the case, as it is not authenticated and arguably takes away from some of the eye appeal of this card.

#5 Commissioned Presentation Blastoise Galaxy Star Holo (1998)

While there are certainly some one-of-a-kind Pokémon cards… how many two-of-a-kind cards can you name? That's exactly what you're looking at here. This card is often confused with the MTG-backed Blastoise (which is also incredibly valuable and rare) because the front is quite similar. Both also have the same wacky Comic Sans-esque font going for them. However, this Blastoise is rarer as it features the same holofoil pattern as seen in Base Set, and has an entirely blank back. There were only two copies of Commissioned Presentation Blastoise ever printed, and the other one has never surfaced!

This is one of those legendary Pokémon cards that just makes me feel excited. Commissioned Presentation Blastoise was almost lost to the sands of time. It was only ever featured in one interview which has now been lost. One other similar Pokémon card was created for international purposes, but as of now, its location remains a mystery. It makes you wonder just how many more of these promotional and test cards exist out there that we're never seen yet. Some of these were intended to be public information, while others were from sneaky employees rescuing test cards that would otherwise have been destroyed.

A great example of this are the "For Position Only" (FPO) cards. Packed in Legendary Collection collection boosters, but with only five cards inside. They were printed prior to the release of the Expedition E-reader set. They were meant to be shredded, but one WotC employee rescued them (a hero in my eyes, but perhaps slightly illegal?).

As of 2020, here's the count of each card from elitefourum.com (this is outdated, but it gives you an idea of the rarity of each card):

You might notice something odd here, a card called "Manhole." It's as weird as it sounds:

Isn't this card surreal? There's very little information about this card available. It's worth noting that the card does have a standard Pokémon card back.

The other rarest FPO Pokémon card is the Clefable, which as of the release of CGC's updated grading scale, now has one singular Gem Mint 10, which was previously a 9.5. It's worth noting that PSA does not grade these cards.

It's quite lucky that we have the sales data point for the Commissioned Presentation Blastoise, and that it even still exists, albeit as an 8.5, which is perhaps the most awkward grade ever. You can read more about this exceedingly rare Blastoise and its MTG-backed brothers in a very thorough article from CGC.

#4 Trophy No.2 Pikachu, Silver 2nd Place, Second Tournament (1998)

Here we have the sibling of the third place Pikachu from earlier in the list. However, this one was actually from the second tournament, which used the same style of trophy cards as the first one. This card was released for the 1997-98 Japanese Lizardon (Charizard) Mega Battle Pokémon tournament events. It's amazing to see that Charizard already had such a hold on a generation of kids over 20 years ago, and still does to this day.

This card is remarkable for a number of reasons. Like its siblings, it was illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, the illustrator of the original Base Set Charizard, and the most iconic Pokémon illustrator to this day. Given the number of events and age groups, it is thought that 14 copies of this card exist, making it one of the rarest cards of all time. Of those 14, a total of 4 have been graded by PSA, with this copy being the only one to ever attain a PSA 10.

Being the first ever public sale of a Pikachu trophy card, it does give us some insight into the upper echelon of Pokémon cards. These are cards that are almost impossible to obtain, no matter how much money you have, simply because they are so rare. Despite only being a second place trophy, and having a relatively high population as far as trophy cards go, it has become one of the most expensive known Pokémon cards of all time. As more trophy cards come to market over time, particularly high grade examples, even if it's only once every few years, we'll be able to develop a better understanding of this normally private market.

#3 First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4 (1999)

Of course, there had to be another Charizard on this list. This is the OG (English) Charizard Pokémon card, and despite there being 124 PSA 10 copies, and nearly 4,000 total graded, in 2022 a copy sold for $420,000 at auction on PWCC.

It's worth noting that this card is no longer worth $420,000. The last time a PSA 10 1st Edition Charizard sold on PWCC, in February 2024, it went for $168,000. Imagine losing around the value of a house on one Pokémon card. Ouch.

#2 Charizard Topsun Blue Back (1997)

While not initially included on this list since it is not a Pokémon TCG card, the Blue Back Topsun Charizard is another example of a card that reached an absurd peak in 2021 at the height of the latest Pokémon craze.

That said, the Blue Back Topsun Charizard is a highly sought-after collector's item within the Pokémon trading card game community. Initially prized for being among the earliest printed cards featuring Charizard, this card was actually mistakenly dated by PSA as 1995. In reality, it was printed in 1997. This rare variant is part of the Topsun series, notable for its distinctive blue back, setting it apart from other Pokémon cards and even similar Topsun copies with a different color backing.

The Topsun series holds a special place in the history of Pokémon cards due to its early release in the franchise's history, predating many of the TCG sets that would follow. The specific charm of the Blue Back Topsun Charizard lies in its unique artwork and the printing error related to its date, adding an extra layer of rarity and desirability. Its unique aesthetic and historical value, as well as the intrigue surrounding its mislabeling, make it a fascinating piece of Pokémon lore.

#1 Illustrator Pikachu (1998)

A truly one-of-a-kind card, the population 1 PSA 10 Illustrator Pikachu was bought by YouTube influencer Logan Paul in 2022 at a valuation of $5.275 million dollars, making it the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold. More specifically, he paid $4 million in cash plus a PSA 9 Illustrator Pikachu he previously owned.

The card was released in 1998 as a promotional card for Corocoro magazine, which is known for many iconic promos throughout Pokémon history. Another notable card from Corocoro is the iconic Shining Mew.

Oddly enough, Corocoro also released for the April 2000 edition. This by itself isn't weird, the weird part is that it was printed in English. Kind of strange for a Japanese magazine, right?

But back to the Illustrator Pikachu, it's debatable whether this card would actually sell for anywhere near the $5.25 million price tag Logan Paul paid for it. After all, it was a publicity stunt for "Liquid Marketplace" where you can "co-own" the card. Think NFTs.

https://infinite.tcgplayer.com/article/robot/d26cffe2-6e5f-4720-8519-a6317c11c060

A $4 million premium for the PSA 10 over PSA 9 of this card is quite high, even as a pop 1. (Especially now that CGC has upgraded prior 9.5's to 10's.) At auction, I would guess this card would sell for between $2.5 and $3 million, maybe $3.5 million. As we've seen, exceptionally rare Pokémon cards such as this vary wildly in price.