10 Most Expensive and Rarest Pokémon Cards

Written by George Chrysostomou

The Pokémon Trading Card game is growing year on year, and has amassed a massive following of fans who are more than willing to part with their hard earned cash for some rare cards. However, as the hobby has developed, the value of these cards have increased, resulting in some truly unique finds. These cards go above and beyond the conventional items that might be found in a normal mystery pack and have the price tag to prove it. 

 

Test Print Blastoise Gold Border (1998)

Back in the late 1990s, Wizards of the Coast experimented with producing Pokémon trading cards in English, rather than the original Japanese, where it held the licence from 1999 to 2003. They produced a test print of Blastoise, from the first generation of Pokédex. However, not everything went to plan for this print with a couple of flaws on the front of the card and a backing that matches Magic The Gathering. The highest graded version of this card sits at 6.5 and actually retailed for $216,000. With only 5 believed to be in existence, this is one of those examples of a strange situation leading to the creation of a high profit item. 

 

Ishihara GX Black Star Promo (2017)

In 2017 the president of Pokémon, Tsunekazu Ishihara, turned 60. To celebrate his birthday the company crafted a special promotional card, which starred Ishihara holding a Great Ball and accompanied by a Rotom. Not only were these cards in short supply with a limited number going into production, but Ishihara actually signed a couple of them as well. The most profitable iteration of this card was graded a 9 for the signature, and auctioned at $247,230. This truly is a piece of history and it's doubtful that the company will replicate this print again. 

 

Snap Pikachu (1999)

Pokémon Snap is a hugely popular title that reinvented the franchise for a completely different audience. This alternative style of play saw fans taking pictures of famous Pokémon, and the original game was so popular that it eventually warranted a sequel. What very few people know is that to coincide with the launch of the game, a trading card was released to celebrate the franchise’s mascot. The Snap Pikachu card depicts the titular character in a snapshot, looking gleeful. It’s unclear what the most profitable card was graded at, but it was auctioned for a massive $270,000. 

 

Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze Trophy Card (1997)

Pikachu is an absolute icon for the Pokémon franchise so it's no surprise that the character pops up a couple of times across this list. This particular card could only be found at the first ever Pokémon Trading Card Game tournament. In the Japanese competition, the top three competitors in each division were rewarded for their efforts with these cards. The Pikachu card represented the number three spot, essentially doubling as a bronze medal. The most valuable known card was graded an 8 and sold for $300,000. 

 

Signed Charizard, No Rarity Symbol (1996)

Players are always on the search for base sets and the earlier they were printed, the better. Some of the earliest Japanese prints didn’t actually have the rarity stamp that is so often seen today. That makes it a profitable item right now, but the highest selling Charizard without that symbol had an additional perk. The case that it was kept in was signed by Mitsuhiro Arita, the very man who crafted the card’s artwork. This particular piece was graded at a 10 and sold for $324,000. There are seemingly less than 10 examples of this card in the world at such a high quality and no others with this autograph. 

 

Blastoise Wizards of the Coast Presentation Galaxy Star Holo (1998)

It’s quite uncommon for a Pokémon card to be specifically commissioned, but that’s what happened here with this Blastoise piece. Only two were ever made for a Wizards of the Coast presentation. Fans will notice that Blastoise doesn’t have a conventional background and other features like the font have been altered. While two were made, no one seems to know where the other one actually is. Graded at an 8.5 the card was sold for $360,000! Players will noticeably recognise links between this card and those from the base set, adding to its historical homages. 

 

First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4 (1999)

This Charizard card has a lot going for it. It’s a first edition print from a base set. It’s also a holographic card and is shadowless. Add all of that together and naturally the price tag went soaring, due to the rarity of such a find. Although others do exist just like this, to find any in a crisp condition would be very difficult. The highest-selling instance of this Charizard card that we know about involved a 10 grading, where the piece was auctioned for $420,000. That’s an impressive figure, only dampened by the fact that there are other variations of this card out there, limiting its potential. 

 

Trophy Pikachu Silver 2nd Tournament Card (1998)

If third place garnered a bronze Pikachu then second place naturally gained a silver. The beauty of the game is that it can be played together and thus has been translated on a global stage. Taken from the first ever international Pokémon Trading Card Game tournament, it’s said that there are fewer than 15 cards that were made to be presented as prizes. The card itself features the titular Pokémon in a happy stance, with silver detailing. The card can only be found in Japanese and has shown up a handful of times in global auctions. The most famous example of a sale took place with a card that was graded at 10. It sold at $444,000. 

 

Charizard Topsun Blue Back (1997)

 

These days there are very few crossovers between The Pokémon Trading Card Game and other brands of note. However, back in the late 90s Topsun printed some cards to be sold as part of a promotional stunt within packs of gum. This Charizard is an alternative take on the classic piece therefore, as it’s printed by Topsun and boasts a blue background with Japanese text. The card that sold the most was misdated at print by two years, making it even rarer. Graded at 10, it sold at $493,230 but has long since been the subject of debate as fans and sellers alike argue as to whether it was printed in 1997, or the misreported 1995. 

 

Illustrator Pikachu (1998)

The most expensive Pokémon card in the world recently hit the news when social media influencer and WWE superstar Logan Paul bought the rare piece. The Pikachu card was initially designed as a prize for those that entered CoroCoro Magazine’s art competition. The winner gained this unique find, which features the famous character holding a paintbrush and engaged in some art of their own. The card was graded at 10 and sold for $5,275,000. It actually broke the world record, with Paul gaining the official certificate and donning the card for an entrance at Wrestlemania! 

These cards are almost unobtainable today, but it’s unclear what new item could rise to the top of the list after being discovered years after it went to print. Clearly, rarity, misprints and quality conditioning is the key to success, so for those sitting on a card that might be of some value, it’s best to get it graded! 

Honourable mention: if you've got a https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/news/ultra-rare-pokemon-card-breaks-sales-records-at-444-000/, you may want to pop it to auction!