Rare 1998 Pokémon card of Pikachu sells for record-breaking $900,000 at auction
By Rebecca Moon
The previous record for most expensive Pokémon card to be auctioned was shattered after a rare 1998 Pikachu “Illustrator” holographic Pokémon card sold for $900,000 last Wednesday.
There are only 41 copies of the rare Pokémon card, of which 39 were originally awarded to CoroCoro Comic magazine readers who submitted winning entries for an illustration contest held in 1997 and 1998, according to Dicebreaker.
The nearly $1 million Pikachu card graded as near mint was sold through New Jersey-based Goldin Auctions on Feb. 23.
The card was illustrated by the artist who designed Pikachu, Atusko Nishida, and shows Pikachu holding art supplies in each hand while surrounded by paintings of Pokémon such as Charmander.
Bidding prices for rare Pokémon cards have skyrocketed as card collectors on YouTube and social media influencers, such as Logan Paul, have reignited fans’ interest in the potential financial gains of Pokémon card collecting.
In 2019, another “Illustrator” Pikachu card, deemed by card-grading company PSA to be “mint 9” condition – a more pristine copy than the “near mint 7” sold more recently – was sold for $195,000. Another “near mint 7” copy was auctioned off in February of last year for $375,000.
Featured Image via PSA Card
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