Get ready to discover the most rare Pokemon card ever sold! If you're into the Pokemon trading card game and want to get a hold of all the cards in existence, knowing the most valuable cards ever produced is essential.
Today, let's break down the rarest Pokémon cards of all time. We will feature expensive and rare Pokémon cards, so brace yourself and your budget to elevate your collection to legendary status.
Top 20 Rarest Pokemon Cards Today (Random Order)
1. Pikachu Illustrator
The PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator is the card that was given to winners of a Japanese illustration contest held in 1998.
This is one of the rarest cards ever sold at a private sale. It holds the record for the most expensive card in the Pokémon trading card game.
How Much It’s Worth: Ranges from $400,000 to $5,000,000 (perfect gem mint 10)
2. PSA 10 Base Set Holo Shadowless Charizard
This card is prized for its Gem Mint 10 copy, significantly impacting the early Pokémon TCG era. It's one of the first-edition cards printed with error, making it one of the rarity cards.
How Much It’s Worth: This card is one of the most expensive, ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 (the PSA Gem Mint 10).
3. 1998 Japanese Promo Silver 2nd-2nd Tournament #2 Trophy Pikachu
These cards were released only once before, during the first official Japanese Pokémon tournament in 1997, making it extremely rare among other cards released.
How Much It’s Worth: This particular card is worth between $200,000 to $400,000.
4. Prototype Blastoise Cards
It features early artwork and design elements from before the official release of the Pokémon TCG. Only a few of these prototype cards known to exist, making them one of the most valuable Pokemon cards stashed at expensive prices.
How Much It’s Worth: $50,000 to $100,000
5. Bronze Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Trophy card
Only four copies of these cards were produced, making the cards a remarkable piece of Pokemon history [1]. With each card as a reward to the bronze winners of the Pokémon TCG tournament in Chiba, Japan, in 1997.
How Much It’s Worth: The prices for this card is more or less $300,000
6. Tsunekazu Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card
A rare Pokémon card signed by Tsunekazu Ishihara, the president of The Pokémon Company [2], was sold at auction for $250K.
This rare card was only given to company employees for Ishihara's 60th birthday in 2017, making the price at auction higher.
How Much It’s Worth: One copy of the card sold at a private auction for $250,000.
7. PSA 10 Kangaskhan Holo Family Event Trophy Card
This trophy card is among the top three rarest Pokémon cards ever existed because it was retired immediately after the competition and never mass-produced.
How Much It’s Worth: $70,000 to $150,000, making it rare and valuable to any Pokemon fan.
8. Black Star Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card
This version of the card is one of the rarest and most expensive cards on this list. It shows Ishihara with a Master Ball and Rotom. Only 30-200 copies of this card were printed.
How Much It’s Worth: The cards fetch more or less $247,230.
9. 2000 Pokémon Neo Genesis 1st Edition Holo Lugia #9
The first in 19 cards in the set, including #9 Lugia, are rare holofoils. Like the 1999 Pokémon English Base Set, 2000 Neo Genesis cards with the 1st Edition icon are highly sought after and more valuable than the later Unlimited printings.
How Much It’s Worth: As a legendary and popular Pokemon, its price ranges from $60,000 to $90,000.
10. 1999 Japanese Tropical Mega Battle Promo, Tropical Wind
The top players from Canada, Latin America, Europe, the US, and Japan competed for the title of Pokémon Master over two days.
Each participant received a 1999 Tropical Wind card as a prize, which is now rare due to its limited availability.
How Much It’s Worth: Mint-condition cards are much harder to find and can be priced at around $10,000 to $30,000.
11. Toshiyuki Yamaguchi No. 2 Trainer 1/1 World Summer Challenge Secret Super Battle-Best In Japan
This is one of the unique cards, with only one copy ever made for the World Summer Challenge Secret Super Battle-Best In Japan.
How Much It’s Worth: This special Pikachu card is worth around $137,500.
12. 2001 Japanese Neo Summer Battle Road National No. 2 Trainer
As one of the PSA 10-graded cards, it features a unique design and is highly prized for its limited availability and connection to a significant Pokemon Japanese event.
How Much It’s Worth: The best Pokemon card for around $20,000 to $30,000.
13. 2006 Pokemon Promo No. 2 Trainer World Championships
This card features distinctive artwork commemorating the event and is highly valued due to its limited issuance and association with a major competitive tournament.
How Much It’s Worth: $110,000
14. 1998 Silver Trophy Pikachu
It features a unique silver finish and is one of the earliest trophy cards, making it a highly sought-after collectible.
How Much It’s Worth: $444,000
15. 2019 Japanese SM Promo Extra Battle Day Full Art Lillie
It has a vibrant full-art design of Lillie, a popular character from the Sun & Moon series, and is highly valued for its limited availability and eye-catching artwork.
How Much It’s Worth: $22,222 to $30,000
16. 1999 Gyarados Unnumbered Promo 64 Mario Stadium Best Photo Contest
This rare promotional card features Gyarados in a unique design and was given to contest winners, making it a valuable piece for collectors.
How Much It’s Worth: $130,000 to $200,000
17. Gold Star POP Series 5 Umbreon
It has a stunning gold star holographic design and showcases Umbreon, a fan-favorite Dark-type Pokémon. It's a limited print run with a unique artwork design.
How Much It’s Worth: $3,000 to $30,000
18. Tamamushi University Magikarp
The Tamamushi University Prize Magikarp is one of the most cherished official Pokémon promos ever.
Each card was given to participating students as a promotional campaign by the Japanese magazine publisher Shogakukan.
How Much It’s Worth: $14,000 to $30,000
19. Master’s Key
It has a unique design with the Pokémon World Championships [3] logo. It is one of the most coveted tournament prize cards due to its rarity.
How Much It’s Worth: $149,999.99
20. 1996 Pokémon Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Holo Venusaur
Unlike the English 1st Edition card with a stamp in the bottom left corner, the Japanese No Rarity version is missing the black star in the bottom right corner.
How Much It’s Worth: The print-run error makes this card worth around $36,999.
FAQs
Is there a $1,000,000 Pokémon card?
Yes, the Pikachu Illustrator card has sold for over $1 million. This card is one of the rarest and most valuable Pokémon cards, awarded to winners of a Japanese illustration contest.
What is the most expensive Pokémon card in 2024?
The most expensive card in 2024 is the Pikachu Illustrator card. Due to its extreme rarity, it has sold for record-breaking prices, fetching over $5 million.
What is the weakest Pokémon card?
The weakest Pokémon cards have very low base stats and abilities. Cards from the early sets are considered the weakest due to their limited impact in battles.
Who is the rarest Pokémon?
The rarest Pokémon in terms of card availability is the Pikachu Illustrator [4] card, limited to just 39 copies.
Are Pokémon cards valuable?
Yes, Pokémon cards can be valuable, especially rare and high-grade ones.
Are Pokémon trainer cards rare?
Pokémon Trainer cards are generally less rare than Pokémon cards. However, certain promotional or tournament-exclusive Trainer cards are considered rare and can be quite valuable.
Are gold Pokémon cards real?
Gold Pokémon cards, often seen as promotional items or limited-edition collectibles, are real but not typically used in gameplay.
Let's Play!
Pokémon card collecting is a serious hobby, with the Pokémon Players Club and collectors hunting rare and exclusive cards. As the market evolves, these cards remain coveted symbols of Pokémon’s enduring legacy.
While searching for rare cards, why not first check out the Toynk Pokemon collection and find your favorite characters in merch form? Have fun!
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pokemon-electronic-game
- https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Tsunekazu_Ishihara
- https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/8/19/pokemon-world-championships-2024-winners-next-two-us-locations
- https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Illustrator_(CoroCoro_promo)
