Pikachu Illustrator: the children’s prize that became a $16.49 million card
It never came from a booster pack and was never sold in a shop. Pikachu Illustrator began as a prize for young artists—and ended up breaking the world record for any trading card sold at auction.
A card made for illustrators, not players
In 1998, Japan’s CoroCoro Comic awarded 39 copies to winners of Pokémon illustration contests. The card says “Illustrator” instead of “Trainer”, congratulates the winner and features artwork by Atsuko Nishida, the original designer of Pikachu. PSA notes that it was never released in English.
Why did it reach $16.49 million?
Rarity explains only part of it. This exact copy is the only Pikachu Illustrator graded PSA Gem Mint 10. On 16 February 2026, it sold through Goldin Auctions for $16,492,000, including buyer’s premium. Guinness World Records certified it as the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.
The real curiosity? The world’s most expensive trading card was created to celebrate children who drew Pokémon—not people who played the card game.