The 10 most expensive and rarest Pokémon cards

Written by George Chrysostomou

The Pokémon Trading Card Game continues to grow year after year and has amassed a huge fan base that is more than willing to spend their hard-earned money on some rare cards. However, as the hobby has evolved, the value of these cards has also increased, resulting in some truly unique finds. These cards go far beyond the conventional items you might find in a regular mystery package, and the price proves it.

Test print Blastoise Gold Border (1998)

In the late 1990s, Wizards of the Coast experimented with producing Pokémon trading cards in English instead of Japanese, where it held the license from 1999 to 2003. They produced a test print of Blastoise from the first generation of Pokédex. However, not everything went to plan with this print, as the front of the card had a few flaws and the back was consistent with Magic The Gathering. The highest rated version of this card is a 6.5 and actually sold for $216,000. Since only 5 copies are said to exist, this is one of those examples of a strange situation that leads to the creation of a highly profitable item.

Ishihara GX Black Star Promo (2017)

In 2017, Pokémon President Tsunekazu Ishihara turned 60. To celebrate his birthday, the company produced a special promotional card depicting Ishihara holding a Super Ball and holding a Rotom. Not only were these cards in short supply and produced in limited numbers, but Ishihara also signed several of them. The most profitable edition of this card received a 9 for the signature and was auctioned for $247,230. This is truly a piece of history and it is doubtful that the company will recreate this print again.

Snapping Pikachu (1999)

Pokémon Snap is a hugely popular title that reinvented the franchise for a completely different audience. This alternate style of gameplay involved fans snapping photos of famous Pokémon, and the original game was so popular that it eventually warranted a sequel. What very few people know is that a trading card was released to coincide with the game's release to celebrate the franchise's mascot. The Snap Pikachu card features the titular character in a snapshot with a happy expression. It's unclear how high the most profitable card was valued, but it sold at auction for a whopping $270,000.

Pikachu No. 3 Trainer Bronze Trophy Card (1997)

Pikachu is an absolute icon of the Pokémon franchise, so it's no surprise that the character appears a few times on this list. This particular card could only be found at the very first Pokémon Trading Card Game tournament. At the Japanese competition, the top three competitors in each division were rewarded for their efforts with these cards. The Pikachu card took third place, effectively acting as a bronze medal. The most valuable known card received a rating of 8 and sold for $300,000.

Signed Charizard, no rarity symbol (1996)

Players are always on the lookout for base sets, and the earlier they were printed, the better. Some of the earliest Japanese printings actually didn't have the rarity stamp you see so often today. This makes them a lucrative item right now, but the best-selling Charizard without that symbol had an added advantage. The sleeve it was kept in was signed by Mitsuhiro Arita, the man who designed the card's artwork. This particular piece was graded 10 and sold for $324,000. There appear to be fewer than 10 copies of this card in the world in such high quality, and no others with this autograph.

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

It's pretty rare for a Pokémon card to be specially commissioned, but that's exactly what happened 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 changed. Although two were made, no one seems to know where the other one actually is. With a rating of 8.5, the card sold for $360,000! Players will see clear connections between this card and those from the base set, reinforcing their historical homages.

First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard #4 (1999)

This Charizard card has a lot going for it. It's a first print from a base set. It's also a holographic card and shadowless. When you add all of that up, the price naturally shot up since such a find is so rare. While there are other examples like this, it would be very difficult to find one in perfect condition. The best-selling example of this Charizard card that we know of was a 10 grade, with the piece selling for $420,000. That's an impressive number, only tempered by the fact that there are other variations of this card, which limits its potential.

Trophy Pikachu Silver 2nd Tournament Card (1998)

Of course, if third place got a bronze Pikachu, second place got a silver one. The beauty of the game is that it can be played collaboratively, and thus it has been transferred to a global stage. It is said that fewer than 15 cards given out as prizes were from the very first international Pokémon TCG tournament. The card itself depicts the titular Pokémon in a happy pose with silver detailing. The card is only available in Japanese and has appeared a few times at auctions worldwide. The most famous example of a sale was of a card rated 10. It sold for $444,000.

Charizard Topsun Blue Back (1997)

These days, there are very few crossovers between the Pokémon Trading Card Game and other big-name brands. However, Topsun did print some cards in the late '90s that were sold in packs of gum as part of a promotional stunt. This Charizard is therefore an alternate version of the classic piece, as it was printed by Topsun and features a blue background with Japanese text. The best-selling card was misdated by two years when printed, making it even rarer. With a grade of 10, it sold for $493,230, but has long been the subject of debate, as fans and sellers alike argue over whether it was printed in 1997 or in the incorrectly stated year of 1995.

Illustrator Pikachu (1998)

The world's most expensive Pokémon card recently made headlines when social media influencer and WWE superstar Logan Paul purchased the rare piece. The Pikachu card was originally intended as a prize for entrants to CoroCoro Magazine's art contest. The winner received this unique find, which features the famous character holding a paintbrush and creating his own artwork. The card was rated a 10 and sold for $5,275,000, actually breaking the world record, as Paul received the official certificate and wore the card during an appearance at Wrestlemania!

These cards are almost unavailable today, but it's unclear what new item might rise to the top of the list after being discovered years after printing. Of course, rarity, misprints and high quality condition are key, so if you have a card that might be of some value, you'd better get it appraised!

Honorable Mention: If you have one, you might want to auction it off!