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    Check Out Top 11 Most Expensive Pokemon Card of All Time

    4 minutes, 45 seconds Read

    Everybody has a collection of Pokémon cards stashed away in their childhood bedroom, but not everyone has a card in their collection that is worth several thousand dollars. You will be surprised to know that there are many Pokemon cards available in the market that are worth thousands of dollars. In this write-up, we will discuss the top 12 list of Most Expensive Pokémon Card. 

    Most Expensive Pokemon Card

    1. Pikachu Illustrator Card

    The Pikachu Illustrator is often considered the holy grail of Pokémon cards. Handed out as prizes in Japanese manga illustration contests in 1998.

    • Value: Sold for $375,000 at auction in 2021, setting the record for Most Expensive Pokemon Card.

    • Available Copies: One of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence, only 39 copies were made. 

    • Reason for Rarity: Features original Pikachu art by Pokemon illustrator Atsuko Nishida.

    2. 1st Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard 

    The first edition shadowless Holographic Charizard was from the first ever English print run of Pokemon cards in 1999. No shadow around the image box and thinner card stock identify “shadowless” cards.

    • Value: It was sold for $300,000.

    • Available Copies: Only 54 copies are available of this expensive card. 

    • Reason for Rarity: Graded at perfect PSA 10 condition which is extremely rare in this high grade.

    3. 1st Edition Holographic Blastoise

    Next in our list of Most Expensive Pokemon Card is 1st edition holographic blastoise. It is another card from the rare 1st edition English print run. 

    • Value: It was sold for $360,000 at auction in 2022.

    • Available Copies: 16 holographic cards are available to buy. 

    • Reason for Rarity: It received flawless PSA 10 grade. The blastoise artwork in the card was done by famous Pokemon artist Mitsuhiro Arita. 

    4. 1st Edition Shadowless Holographic Venusaur

    It is a highly coveted Pokemon card from the rare 1st edition English base set in 1999. With the shadowless style and holographic foil, this Venusaur is one of the most valuable cards.

    • Value: It was sold for $325,000.

    • Available Copies: Venusaur was featured in 26 different cards. 

    • Reason for Rarity: It is a shadowless and pristine PSA 9 graded card. It is also one of the original holographic starter Pokemon which makes it more desirable. 

    5. Pokemon World Championships No. 1 Trainer

    The world championship no. 1 trainer card is one of the ultra rare cards of all time. It has a unique trophy icon in the bottom right corner.

    • Value: It was Sold for $247,230. 

    • Available Copies: Only about 30 copies handed out as prizes at 2000 Pokemon World Championships.

    • Reasons for Rarity: It was the first card to receive a formal grade for condition from the company PSA.

    6. Trophy Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze 

    In 1997, the first Pokemon TCG tournament ever conducted in Japan was planned. Each of the top three finishers in each division received a unique Trophy Pikachu card that indicated their place in the historic competition as their prize. That is why it is included in the list of Most Expensive Pokemon Card.

    • Value: It was Sold for $300,000.

    • Available Copies: PSA Claimed over 100 copies were made.

    • Reason for Rarity: Only four copies were handed over and received PSA 9 Grade. 

    7. Pre-release Raichu 

    The Pre-release Raichu is one of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence. It contains a distinctive “Prerelease” error misspelling. It originates from the Wizards of the Coast English Base Set print run in 1999 before the set’s official release. 

    • Value: The prerelease raichu cards are worth more than $10000. 

    • Available Copies: Only 10 copies are available.

    • Reason for Rarity: With the unique error and extremely limited number produced, it got PSA 10 grade.  

    8. Rick’s Mewtwo Trophy Card

    The University Magikarp card was given out exclusively during a 1998 competition at Osaka University in Japan. 

     

    • Value: In 2019, a PSA 10 graded copy sold at auction for an incredible $50,300. 

    • Available Copies: It is estimated that only 20-30 copies of this card exist. Featuring unique Magikarp artwork, the card was made to promote higher education and academia. 

     

    • Reason for Rarity: For a common Pokemon like Magikarp, University Magikarp’s extremely limited distribution makes it unbelievably valuable to collectors. 

    9. Masters Key

    If you are searching for Most Expensive Pokemon Card, you should know about the Masters Key. It is an extremely rare promo card that was only made available in Japan in 1997. It was a pre-production test card created during the development of the Tropical Mega Battle expansion. 

    • Value: One copy sold at auction in 2020 for $90,000

    • Available Copies: Only 2 copies exist of this rare card. 

    • Reason for Rarity: With only 2 copies in the world and its status as a unique test print, the Masters Key commands an incredibly high price and is coveted by collectors as a holy grail card.

    10. Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy Card 

    The Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy Card is an ultra rare prize card that was given out at the 1998 Parent/Child Mega Battle tournament in Japan. 

    • Value:  A PSA 7 graded copy sold privately for $150,000. 

    • Available Copies: Only 20-30 copies of this card have been printed and awarded. 

    • Reason For Rarity: Featuring Kangaskhan with a trophy icon, its extremely limited distribution makes it highly coveted. 

    11. Master Scroll Piece (Master Ball) Gold Star 

    The Master Scroll Piece Gold Star card featuring Ho-Oh was part of a special Japanese promo set in 2001. Collecting all 5 scroll pieces revealed a secret Master Ball card. 

    • Value: A PSA 10 graded copy is worth over $30, 000.

    • Available Copies: Only 54 copies are available. 

    • Reason for Rarity: It was extremely difficult to obtain all the scroll pieces. As a result, even a single scroll piece like the Ho-Oh is very rare and valuable.

    Overview 

    The Most Expensive Pokemon Card generally sells through different auctions. Enthusiastic collectors are certainly willing to spend a lot of money to get any one of the sought-after items on this list. Pokémon became a global sensation with a sizable following base thanks to the video games, television shows, and the cards themselves.

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