Pikachu Illustrator Card Breaks All-Time Record by Fetching $900,000 at Goldin Auction

Auction house Goldin confirmed the sale of the 1998 promotional card of Pikachu Illustrator graded by Psa with a 7 for $900,000 and places it as the most expensive Pokémon card in history.

In 2013, another Illustrator-graded Pikachu with a 9 sold for $100,000. At the time, it was believed that only 12 units existed. However, in 2019, more Illustrator cards began to appear. In 2020, 2 more cards appeared and were put up for sale by Yuichi Konno (one of the people in charge of creating the rules for the Pokémon Trading Card Game). Currently, it is estimated that there are approximately 40 units in existence.

This card was awarded to selected participants in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest. These were 3 contests held on different dates.
The first contest, held in 1997, was for participants to create their own illustration of a Pokémon Trading Card Game card. The three winners of the contest were announced in December 1997 and received 20 copies of a card with their illustration, as well as a copy of Pokémon Illustrator.

The second and third contests were held in 1998. The second contest was related to Mewtwo Strikes Back and the third contest was related to Pikachu's Vacation. Both contests had the same purpose as the first contest: create your own Pokémon card and the best ones were chosen and given a Pokémon Illustrator card. The difference is that in the second contest the winner for the best illustration and attacks received 20 copies of their card with their illustration, as well as a copy of Pokémon Illustrator. The other winners also received their copy of Pokémon Illustrator. In contrast, in the third contest all winners received a copy of Pokémon Illustrator.

At the same auction, the Uncut Sheet of the 1st edition was sold for $171,600.

The Pikachu Illustrator text means:

We certify that your illustration is an excellent entry in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Illustration Contest. Therefore, we declare that you are an Officially Authorized Pokémon Card Illustrator and we admire your skill.