If fans of the Pokémon Trading Card Game are looking for expensive cards, they need not look any further than its mascot: Pikachu. The electric rodent is a fan favorite for players of the TCG, but this is doubly true for collectors. Pikachu's presence can almost always drive the value of a card up. Even so, not all Pikachu cards are made the same, as some are much more valuable than others.
Pikachu has been placed on tons of cards since the Pokémon TCG's inception. Whether there's a special event like the Booster Bundle or the launch of a new mechanic like VMAX, Pikachu will almost certainly be involved. Consequently, Pikachu cards tend to vary in price. Some may be common and possibly worthless; others could be God Pack Secret Rares like the Pikachu from Crown Zenith and become the most valuable cards in their respective sets.
The Most Expensive Pikachu Cards Are Special In Pokémon TCG History
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Though there's a large variety of Pikachu cards, the most expensive all share a common trait: they have a unique story in the Pokémon TCG's history. Whether they come from strange packs, were awarded to select a few, or are made out of literal gold, these cards have pasts that make them special for collectors, and consequently, are the most expensive in 2023.
#5: 1995 Japanese Topsun Pikachu Prism (Blue Back/Ice Prism)
Topsun Pikachu Prism has gained tremendous value in recent years due to the peculiarities of the set it came from. Topsun cards were among the oldest in the Pokémon TCG, being sold exclusively in Japan from 1995 to 1997. If its two-card packs that came with gum are any indication, the Topsun cards were a weird bunch. Instead of having Poké Balls on their backs, they had Japanese text that came in either green or blue (with "Blue Backs" being considered more popular).
Additionally, one in forty cards came with a prism holofoil effect that had either a “shattered glass” or “ice prism” pattern (with the latter being more favorable). These peculiarities have combined to make Topsun Pikachu Prism an extremely valuable card. On October 27, 2021, a 1995 Topsun Pikachu Prism (with a Blue Back and ice prism effect) graded PSA 10 sold for over $15,000 on eBay.
Though the link to the actual sale of the card has since expired, discussions of it on the Mt. Moon forum show the excitement this sale caused at that time in the Pokémon TCG. Additionally, Mavin's records of Pikachu Prism sales verify that the sale did occur.
#4: 2005 Promo Victory Ring “Pikachu”
Pikachu’s appearance is bound to make any Pokémon TCG card more valuable, and that is precisely what happened in 2005 with the Victory Ring “Pikachu” card. Prior to 2005, this promo card awarded to top-three players at regional tournaments featured only the Victory Ring. This changed in 2005 when artist Takumi Akabane added Pikachu into the mix, making the card not only sought after as a symbol of competitive accomplishment but as a highly valuable investment, too.
Indeed, 2005 Victory Ring “Pikachu” became one of the most valuable cards in the Pokémon TCG when it sold at a Heritage auction for $21,000 at a PSA 10 grading. Only 81 of these cards were ever handed out, and only 19 of these 81 received a PSA 10 grading. Consequently, the current starting price for bidding has risen to $31,500, although none have sold for that price.
#3: 20th Anniversary 24k Gold Tanaka Pikachu
In 2016, the Pokémon TCG celebrated Pokémon’s 20th anniversary with one of the coolest, most expensive cards ever made: the 24k Gold Tanaka Pikachu. Made with famous Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka, this exclusive card is made of actual gold - 11 grams of it. Purchasing it when it first came out costed $2100. Nowadays, it sells for much more, as PSA records show 24k Gold Pikachu graded as low as PSA 5 sold for $29,520.
#2: 2006 World Championship No. 2 Trainer "Pikachu" Promo Card
The 2006 World Championship No. 2 Trainer Promo Card is one of the most expensive Pokémon TCG cards to ever be sold. It belongs to the category of Pokémon TCG cards known as World Championship Trainer Cards, all of which are considered very valuable. Handed out only to those who place among the top Pokémon TCG players, these cards are extremely rare. That’s why I’m February 2021, the PSA-9-graded 2006 World Championship No. 2 Trainer Promo Card sold for over $91,000 after 150 bids, according to CardsPriceGuide’s records.
The high value of this card suggests that earlier World Championship Trainer Cards - particularly those featuring Pikachu - could be worth even more. Indeed, the PSA-graded 1997 No. 1 Trainer Card is currently listed on eBay at $2 million dollars. PSA records do not currently verify this is as a legitimate listing, and such sales typically occur at auctions instead of online markets.
#1: Logan Paul's Multi-Million Dollar Pikachu Illustrator
The Pikachu Illustrator card is not only the most expensive Pikachu card but the most expensive Pokémon TCG card ever. The card itself has a unique, special history. In 1998, the Japanese magazine CoroCoro held a Pokémon illustrating competition in which contestants were awarded with a “Pikachu Illustrator” card drawn by the creator of Pikachu herself, Atsuko Nishida. With only around 40 being printed and 39 rewarded, this card has become the most exclusive to ever be made. Thus far, only 20 have been graded by PSA, so little else is known about how many others are left in circulation.
Previously, this card has sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Kotaku reported, Pikachu Illustrator held the record for most expensive Pokémon TCG card sale at $325,000 at a PSA NM 7 grading. This record was broken by another Pikachu Illustrator card with the exact same grading in February 2022, when it sold at auction for $900,000. But however large these records were, they were dwarfed by infamous YouTuber Logan Paul’s record-breaking Pokémon TCG buy in 2022 of a PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator at $5,300,000.
Paul had a controversial relationship with the Pokémon TCG by the time he bought Pikachu Illustrator. Just earlier in 2022, Paul had purchased an unopened, PSA-graded box of 1st Edition Base Set cards for $3.5 million that turned out to be fake. This led to a large controversy with PSA, whose grading has since become stricter, more expensive, and time-consuming. That Paul would make another multi-million dollar Pokémon-related purchase in the same year is surprising. But perhaps that speaks to the power of Pikachu and the Pokémon TCG.
Sources: Mt. Moon, Mavin, Heritage, PSA, CardsPriceGuide, eBay, Kotaku, Gem Mint Pokemon/YouTube