Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe Pikachu Illustrator’s value depends on the exact card, its grade and any special designation. Recent auction results range from $1,406,250 for a PSA Mint 9 to a Guinness-listed $16,492,000 total for a PSA Gem Mint 10. Those are dated sales of specific copies—not appraisals of every card bearing the name.
Recent Pikachu Illustrator sale prices
These results are useful benchmarks, but they are not interchangeable: the cards had different grades and, in one case, an additional designation. The reported totals may also follow different price conventions.
| Sale | Reported result | What was sold |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Auctions, March 27, 2026 | $1,406,250 | PSA Mint 9. Heritage said the sale set a public auction record for that grade at the time. Heritage’s sale report. |
| Heritage Auctions, September 18–19, 2026 | $5,000,000 | PSA Mint 9 with a Mike Baker Authenticated Gold Diamond enhancement. Heritage described it as the highest PSA 9 Illustrator price and the second-highest Pokémon-card auction price at the time. Heritage’s sale report. |
| Goldin Auctions, February 2026 | $16,492,000 | PSA Gem Mint 10. Guinness World Records says this total includes buyer’s premium and lists it as a record at the time of its update. Guinness World Records’ listing. |
Why one Illustrator can be worth more than another
Grade and condition
A PSA 10 result is not a suitable direct estimate for a PSA 9, an ungraded card or a card whose identity has not been confirmed. The Guinness-listed record concerns a specific PSA Gem Mint 10 example, which Guinness identifies as the only known copy at that grade. Grading is therefore central to any comparison, but the record does not price other grades.
Additional designation
The two cited Heritage sales were both PSA Mint 9 results, but the September 2026 example also carried a Mike Baker Authenticated Gold Diamond enhancement. Its $5 million result should not be treated as the ordinary price of every PSA 9 Illustrator: the March 2026 PSA 9 sale was $1,406,250.
#1 Best Overall
What the price includes
Check whether a quoted auction figure is a hammer price or the buyer’s total, including the buyer’s premium. Guinness explicitly says its $16,492,000 Goldin figure includes buyer’s premium. The cited Heritage reports describe their own auction results; do not assume every source uses the same price basis.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the Pikachu Illustrator card is
The Pikachu Illustrator is a Japanese Pokémon promotional card from 1998, awarded through an illustration contest rather than sold as a regular pack card. The Associated Press reports that Atsuko Nishida designed it for the contest and that only a few dozen copies are believed to exist. Heritage describes it as the grand prize of one of the first three illustration contests publicized in CoroCoro Comic. These descriptions explain its rarity and history, but do not establish the value or authenticity of any individual copy.
Rank #2
- 1x Pokemon Card authenticated and graded by PSA card.
Associated Press coverage and Heritage’s auction report provide further background.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Random Assortment of 6 Jumbo Pokemon Cards
- Size 5x7
Rank #4
- Material: Cardboard
- Grade Rating: Ungraded
- Grade rating : Ungraded
- Material : Cardboard
Rank #3
- 5 Assorted Ultra Rare Pokemon cards
- Variety may include all but not limited to only - V / Ex / Gx
- Will receive 5 different cards! No duplicates!
- Immerse yourself in the world of Pokemon!
- Collect powerful Pokemon!
How to compare a specific card with auction results
- Confirm identity and provenance. A PSA certificate lookup can verify details associated with a graded example. For instance, PSA’s record for certificate 18518177 identifies a 1998 Japanese promo Pikachu Holo Illustrator. A certificate lookup is useful for checking the referenced certification, but the available sources do not establish a complete forensic procedure for detecting every counterfeit or alteration.
- Match the grade as closely as possible. Compare PSA 9 with PSA 9 and PSA 10 with PSA 10 where possible, and account separately for special designations such as the Gold Diamond enhancement.
- Check the sale date and price basis. A dated auction result is a historical comparable, not a guaranteed current selling price. Note whether the stated total includes buyer’s premium.
- Use population counts as snapshots. PSA’s certification record for the referenced card shows a Mint 9 population of 15, with one graded higher. PSA CardFacts reports population counts by grade and cautions that its condition census can change as cards are graded or discovered. These are grading-service records, not a verified count of every copy in existence. See PSA CardFacts.
- Get a copy-specific assessment before a transaction. The sales and records cited here do not establish the condition, authenticity, provenance or negotiated terms for a card you own or are considering buying.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
