Twenty four years after the Pokemon Trading Card Game was first published, Pokemon cards have once again taken over the internet with popular Twitch streamers, YouTubers, and well-known personalities like Logan Paul and Logic spending thousands of dollars on rare cards. None of this is new for the franchise either as limited edition, first edition, and other rare cards have been making headlines for years with fans willing to spend their life savings to get a shiny Charizard.
When it comes to selling and buying the rarest Pokemon cards available, everything is organized through an auction, starting with a base price and letting the market take it from there. It was only this week that one college student managed to sell his card collection for $80,000 and pay off his student loans after buying it for much cheaper a few years back. But which Pokemon cards are actually worth something and which is the rarest of them all? Here are the most expensive Pokemon trading cards ever sold at auction.
No. 1 Trainer Super Secret Battle – $90,000
While most players think of their favorite monsters when it comes to Pokemon cards, a number of the rarest cards are either item cards or limited-edition event based cards. One of those cards is the No. 1 Trainer Super Secret Battle card, a limited-edition card that was given out to players that won qualifying rounds in Japanese regional competitions back in 1999. In July 2020, the No. 1 Trainer Super Secret Battle card was sold on Heritage Auction for $90,000 due to the rarity of the card and its condition, making it the fifth highest selling Pokemon card of all time as of the time of writing.
Lugia 1st Edition – $129,000
For many fans out there, Lugia is one of the most iconic Pokemon in existence and easily one of the most recognizable Legendary Pokemon after its debut in Pokemon Gold & Silver and Pokemon the Movie 2000. In November 2020, a holographic Lugia 1st Edition Neo Genesis card was sold on PWCC Auction for $129,000. The particular card in question held a GEM-MINT 10 rating on PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), an authentication and grading service used for collectible cards, meaning that it could be described as in near perfect condition.
Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy – $150,100
In 1998, The Pokemon Company held a special Parent/Child Mega Battle tournament whereas the name suggests, a parent and child would team up together against opposing teams. Winners of the Parent/Child Mega Battle Tournament were awarded a Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy card, sporting a holographic image and the original Pocket Monsters Trading Card Game logo which is reserved for some of the rarest cards in existence. In October 2020, a GEM-MINT 10 condition 'Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy' was sold on PWCC Auction for $150,100.
Pikachu Illustrator - $233,000
One of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence is the Illustrator card, commonly known as the 'Pikachu Illustrator' card, a limited edition card awarded to winners of three illustration competitions held by CoroCoro magazine in 1997 and 1998. As of 2019 when two more cards were discovered, it's believed that only 41 copies of the card were ever created (34 awarded through competitions) and roughly 12 thought to be in 'good' condition. In July 2020, a GEM-MINT 9 condition 'Pikachu Illustrator' card was sold on the ZenPlus Pokemonmania Store for $233,000 (25,000,000 JPY).
Charizard 1st Edition - $369,000
Until a couple of weeks ago, the Pikachu Illustrator was the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold at auction and it held that title by a fairly big margin. Lo and behold, with the spotlight on the Pokemon franchise right now and particularly on the Pokemon Trading Card Game, it was only a matter of time until fan-favorite Charizard claimed its rightful spot at the top. Officially taking over as the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold at auction, on December 12, 2020, an original shadowless variant GEM-MINT 10 condition Charizard 1st Edition was sold on Goldin Auctions for $369,000; only four hours after a previous copy of the card sold for $350,000 at the same auction.
Outside of its resurgence on Twitch and YouTube, its been a surprisingly big year for the Pokemon Trading Card Game considering the majority of the above-mentioned cards sold in auction in the past six months alone. With the 25th anniversary of the Pokemon franchise right around the corner, there's a lot to be excited about in the coming months so it's unlikely the current craze will end anytime soon. And for those that still have some old Pokemon cards lying around the house, now is the time to see if any of them might be worth something.
Pokemon Trading Card Game’s Shining Fates expansion launches on February 19, 2021.