The Pokemon Trading Card game can be traced back to 1995 in Japan. Fast forward almost three decades, the game is still thriving, breaking records when it comes to rarest Pokemon cards and their exorbitant prices.
Like many other card games such as Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, and others, this continues to impress the fans and in this article, we list some of the rarest and most expensive Pokemon cards.
5. 1998 Kangaskhan-Holo #115 Family Event Trophy Card
In 1998, Japanese parents and children who triumphed in a special event received this Kangaskhan card. Currently valued at $150,100 it is a rare card in the Pokemon universe, given only to those who won matches in a Parent/Child Mega Battle tournament.
4. 2017 Black Star Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card
This card is not a Pokemon card. Instead of a Pokemon, it features Tsunekazu Ishihara, the Pokemon Company’s founder, commemorating his 60th birthday. Valued at $247,230 it earns the top 4 spot on our list of rarest Pokemon cards and is given to the company’s staff as a celebration of the founder’s birthday.
Ishihara’s in-game avatar boasts the ability of Red Chanchanko. This ability makes him completely invincible, negating any damage, effects, or abilities thrown his way by opponents. But the end is not there. There is a GX attack 60 Congratulations with 1060 damage. Moreover, the attacker then flips 60 coins, with each head giving the attacker a present.
While its price is a bit lower compared to some of the far more expensive Pokemon cards, Ishihara’s signed card is a piece of Pokemon history.
3. The 1998 Commission Presentation Galaxy Star Holo Blastoise
the 1998 Commission Presentation Galaxy Star Holo Blastoise is a Pokemon card unlike any other. This Blastoise isn’t a trophy for battling prowess, but a historical relic from a bygone era.
Created by Wizards of the Coast, the minds behind Magic: The Gathering, this card served as a prototype pitch. Wizards of the Coast was vying for the rights to produce the English version of the Pokemon Trading Card Game, and this Blastoise was part of their presentation.
Only two Galaxy Star Holos were ever made, and their fate is shrouded in mystery. One has seemingly vanished from the public eye, while the other sold for a staggering $360,000 in 2021.
2. 1999 Pokemon Base Set Shadowless 1st Edition Holo Charizard
Shadowless Charizard is one of the most popular and enduring cards. The 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard is valued at $420,000 reveling in being a nostalgic icon, a reminder of childhood afternoons spent chasing elusive cards and packs. The shadowless variation is just a printing error but this makes it an even more sought-after Pokemon card.
1. 1998 Pikachu-Holo Illustrator
There is only one card that deserves a top spot and with that the throne of rarity and value. The 1998 Pikachu illustrator is a meta-collectible treasure. Originally given as a prize win in a 1990s Japanese art competition, fewer than 20 Pikachu Illustrators are estimated to exist.
Back in 2022, a PSA-graded Pikachu Illustrator reached a staggering $6,000,000 at an auction. Owning a mint-codition Pikachu Illustrator is a massive piece of history and it is no surprise it comes at this exorbitant price.
