Most Valuable Pikachu Cards: The Biggest Sales, From the $16.49 Million Illustrator to Raincoat Pikachu

The most valuable Pikachu card ever sold is the Pikachu Illustrator graded PSA 10, which brought $16,492,000 at Goldin in February 2026, a sale Guinness World Records recognizes as the most expensive trading card sold at auction. In September, a PSA 10 Raincoat Pikachu sold for $8.4 million, the second highest Pikachu price we could confirm, and on October 25 a 1997 Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu brought $3,080,500 at Goldin. Below are the biggest public Pikachu sales of 2026, each tied to a lot page or major outlet, plus what drives the gaps between them.

Current as of October 27, 2026. Prices include buyer's premium.

The Most Valuable Pikachu Cards: The Biggest Public Sales of 2026

Every result below is a 2026 public auction of a single card, with buyer's premium. Private deals, like Logan Paul's 2021 purchase of the PSA 10 Illustrator for $5,275,000, are left out.

1. Pikachu Illustrator (1998 CoroCoro Comic promo), PSA 10: $16,492,000

• Sale: Goldin, closed February 16, 2026, per Guinness, and reported by CNN
• Why it matters: the only PSA 10 Illustrator, per the lot page, owned and sold by Logan Paul. Guinness lists it as both the Pokémon and the overall trading card auction record

2. Raincoat Pikachu (2015 Japanese XY Promo, Art Academy, Fujishima), PSA 10: $8,400,000

• Sale: Fanatics Collect Weekly, September 27, 2026, after 64 bids
• Why it matters: Fujishima's winning Art Academy design was a prize card, and each winner received 100 copies, per Kotaku. A PSA 10 copy sold for $156,250 at Heritage in June 2026, PSA counted 57 copies in PSA 10 as of October 11, 2026, per the Fanatics lot page, and Kotaku called the jump hard to explain. Our Raincoat Pikachu report has the full story

3. Pikachu Illustrator, PSA 9 (MBA Gold Diamond): $5,000,000

• Sale: Heritage Trading Card Games Signature Auction, September 2026, per Artdaily and SI Collectibles
• Why it matters: one of 15 PSA 9 Illustrators with one graded higher, per Artdaily. See our Heritage Illustrator report

4. Gold 1st Place Tournament Trophy Pikachu (1997 Japanese promo), PSA 8: $3,080,500

• Sale: Goldin, Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction, closed October 25, 2026 (US time), after 32 bids. The lot page shows a $2,525,000 winning bid, which comes to $3,080,500 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium
• Why it matters: the same card in the same grade sold for $982,100 at Goldin in March (#11 below). Our 30th Anniversary Auction results cover the sale

5. Pikachu Illustrator, CGC 9: $2,806,271

• Sale: Goldin, September 19, 2026, after 48 bids. The lot page shows a $2,300,222 winning bid, which comes to $2,806,271 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium, matching Auction Report and SI
• Why it matters: the same week as the $5 million PSA 9, which shows how much the grader and grade move an Illustrator's price

6. Bronze 3rd Place Tournament Trophy Pikachu (1998 Japanese promo), PSA 10 (MBA Gold Diamond): $1,769,000

• Sale: Goldin, May 2026, per SI Collectibles
• Why it matters: trophy cards were awarded at early Japanese tournaments, and the lot page describes this as the only copy graded above PSA 8

7. Pikachu Illustrator, PSA 9: $1,406,250

• Sale: Heritage, March 2026, per Antique Trader and TheGamer
• Why it matters: six months later, another PSA 9 brought $5 million at Heritage. Same grade, very different results

8. Pikachu Illustrator, PSA Authentic (MBA Gold Diamond 8): $1,079,700

• Sale: Goldin, June 2026, after 30 bids. The lot page shows an $885,000 winning bid, which comes to $1,079,700 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium
• Why it matters: PSA authenticated it without a number grade, and it still cleared $1 million. The lot includes the original Creatures Inc. letter and envelope, per the lot page

9. Raincoat Pikachu (2015 Japanese XY Promo, Art Academy, Fujishima), PSA 10: $1,037,000

• Sale: Goldin, TCG Weekly Auction closed October 11, 2026 (US time), after 64 bids. The lot page shows an $850,000 winning bid, which comes to $1,037,000 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium, and reported by SI Collectibles
• Why it matters: a different PSA 10 copy of the #2 card, sold two weeks after the $8.4 million result for about an eighth of that price. Another PSA 10 sold for $274,500 at Goldin on October 25, 2026, in the same 30th Anniversary Auction, after 15 bids. Same card, same grade

10. Pikachu Illustrator, BGS 8.5: $1,006,500

• Sale: Goldin, August 15, 2026, per SI Collectibles
• Why it matters: one of five Illustrators in Beckett's census, per the lot page

11. Gold 1st Place Tournament Trophy Pikachu (1997 Japanese promo), PSA 8: $982,100

• Sale: Goldin, March 2026, after 28 bids. The lot page shows an $805,000 winning bid, which comes to $982,100 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium. SI Collectibles reported the same $982.1K price
• Why it matters: a first-place prize from the first official Pokémon TCG tournament, held in Chiba, Japan, in June 1997. A different PSA 8 copy sold for $3,080,500 at Goldin seven months later (#4 above). Goldin's listings call each one of eight copies in PSA's census

12. Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Pikachu #86 (2002), PSA 10: $780,000

• Sale: Fanatics Collect Weekly, September 27, 2026, after 32 bids
• Why it matters: the lot page shows a PSA 10 population of 35 as of October 11, 2026, and the previous high was $264,000 in June, per ComicBook. ComicBook's Chris Guest summed it up on October 3, 2026: "That is less a record break than a demolition." A different PSA 10 sold for $481,900 at Goldin on October 25, 2026 (#17)

13. Pikachu Illustrator, PSA 8.5 (MBA Gold Diamond 9): $727,120

• Sale: Goldin, March 2026, after 27 bids. The lot page shows a $596,000 winning bid, which comes to $727,120 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium
• Why it matters: the same month a PSA 9 brought $1,406,250 at Heritage, half a grade lower sold for about half as much

14. Meli Pikachu (2015 XY Art Academy Competition), PSA 10: $660,000

• Sale: Fanatics Collect Weekly, October 11, 2026, after 34 bids, and reported by SI Collectibles
• Why it matters: another prize card from the 2015 Art Academy contest. A different PSA 10 copy sold for $240,000 at Fanatics Collect on September 20, 2026, so this one brought almost triple three weeks later

15. Pikachu Illustrator, PSA Authentic: $585,600

• Sale: Goldin, August 2026, after 43 bids. The lot page shows a $480,000 winning bid, which comes to $585,600 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium
• Why it matters: two PSA Authentic Illustrators sold at Goldin six weeks apart. The June copy, the only one with PSA's "Awarded" notation per its lot page, brought almost twice as much

16. Pikachu Illustrator, TAG 8: $488,000

• Sale: Goldin, April 2026, after 20 bids. The lot page shows a $400,000 winning bid, which comes to $488,000 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium
• Why it matters: the lot page calls it the higher-scoring of the two TAG NM-MT 8 copies in TAG's census

17. Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Pikachu #86 (2002), PSA 10: $481,900

• Sale: Goldin, Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction, closed October 25, 2026 (US time), after 30 bids. The lot page shows a $395,000 winning bid, which comes to $481,900 with Goldin's 22 percent buyer's premium, matching Auction Report
• Why it matters: a different PSA 10 copy of the #12 card, four weeks after the $780,000 record. Goldin's lot text says fewer than 2 percent of the more than 1,955 copies in PSA's census reached PSA 10

18. Gold Star Pikachu #104, EX Holon Phantoms (2006), PSA 10: $480,000

• Sale: Fanatics Collect Weekly, September 27, 2026, after 24 bids
• Why it matters: the lot page shows a PSA 10 population of 119 as of October 11, 2026, and the previous tracked high was $174,999.99 in June, per ComicBook. Another PSA 10 sold for $427,000 at Goldin on October 25, 2026

Not ranked yet: a 2015 Art Academy Competition Lily-Chan Pikachu #25 in PSA 10 closed at $660,000 at Fanatics Collect on October 18, 2026, and is still listed as unpaid in Fanatics Collect's sales records on October 27. If it is paid, it ties the Meli Pikachu and ranks #15.

Same Card, Very Different Price

• Raincoat Pikachu PSA 10: $8,400,000, then $1,037,000, then $274,500, between September 27 and October 25, 2026
• Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu PSA 8: $982,100 in March, then $3,080,500 in October 2026
• Legendary Collection reverse holo Pikachu PSA 10: $780,000 in September, then $481,900 in October 2026
• Meli Art Academy Pikachu PSA 10: $240,000 in September, then $660,000 in October 2026

Pikachu Illustrator Prices by Grade

The Illustrator appears nine times in the list above, and its price follows the grade and the auction:

• PSA 10: $16,492,000, Goldin, February 2026
• PSA 9: $5,000,000, Heritage, September 2026, and $1,406,250, Heritage, March 2026
• CGC 9: $2,806,271, Goldin, September 2026
• PSA Authentic: $1,079,700 (MBA Gold Diamond 8, the copy with PSA's "Awarded" notation), Goldin, June 2026, and $585,600, Goldin, August 2026
• BGS 8.5: $1,006,500, Goldin, August 2026
• PSA 8.5 (MBA Gold Diamond 9): $727,120, Goldin, March 2026
• TAG 8: $488,000, Goldin, April 2026

How many exist is less settled than the prices. Guinness says 39 were given to illustration contest winners, while Goldin's Illustrator listings describe 41 officially awarded copies. Goldin's PSA 10 listing counted 53 Illustrators in PSA's census in February 2026, and its Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu listing, posted September 2026, says 56. Census counts record submissions, not unique cards.

Why Pikachu Cards Sell for So Much

• Prize cards, not pack pulls. The Illustrator, the trophy cards and the Raincoat Pikachu, all of the top eleven, were contest or tournament awards, which is why they top the list. Print runs still differ: Goldin counts 41 awarded Illustrators, while each Art Academy winner received 100 copies of their card, per Kotaku
• Grade at the very top. The Illustrator shows it best: in 2026 the PSA 10 brought $16,492,000, PSA 9 copies brought $1,406,250 and $5,000,000, and a PSA 8.5 brought $727,120
• The 30th anniversary. Pokémon turned 30 in 2026, and the 30th Celebration set has 30 Pikachu rare cards to collect. ComicBook linked the Legendary Collection and Gold Star records to that hype, while cautioning that one set can't explain a year of rising prices. Our 30th Celebration Pikachu guide covers the cards

For the rest of the Pokémon market, see our most valuable Pokémon cards guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most valuable Pikachu card?

The Pikachu Illustrator in PSA 10, which sold for $16,492,000 at Goldin in February 2026, a Guinness World Records auction record.

How much did Raincoat Pikachu sell for?

A PSA 10 Raincoat Pikachu, the 2015 Japanese Art Academy promo, sold for $8,400,000 at Fanatics Collect on September 27, 2026. Other PSA 10s sold for $1,037,000 at Goldin on October 11, 2026 and $274,500 there on October 25, 2026.

How much did the Trophy Pikachu sell for?

A 1997 Gold 1st Place Tournament Trophy Pikachu in PSA 8 sold for $3,080,500 at Goldin on October 25, 2026. Another PSA 8 copy sold there for $982,100 in March 2026.

How many Pikachu Illustrator cards exist?

Guinness says 39 were awarded to illustration contest winners, while Goldin describes 41 officially awarded copies.

What is the record price for a Gold Star Pikachu?

A PSA 10 Gold Star Pikachu from EX Holon Phantoms sold for $480,000 at Fanatics Collect on September 27, 2026.

Where to Go From Here

Pikachu runs from pack-fresh cards to the most expensive card ever sold, and the rarest copies were prizes, not pulls. If you want to start with real cards at a friendlier price, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack when you sign up, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 27, 2026. Prices are past sale results and change over time. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with The Pokémon Company, Goldin, Fanatics Collect, Heritage Auctions, PSA, CGC or the other companies named.

Sources

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• Guinness World Records: Best-selling media franchise Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary, published March 16, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
• CNN: Pokémon card sells for record price at auction, published February 16, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
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• Fanatics Collect Weekly: 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Promo Art Academy Fujishima Pikachu PSA 10, sold September 27, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
• Kotaku: Raincoat Pikachu Art Academy PSA 10 sale, published September 30, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
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• Auction Report: Pikachu Illustrator tops $2.8 million as Ohtani and Black Lotus each break $2 million, published September 20, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
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• Goldin: Pikachu Illustrator TAG 8 (April 2026), accessed October 11, 2026
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• Fanatics Collect Weekly: 2015 Pokémon XY Art Academy Competition Meli Pikachu MBA PSA 10, sold October 11, 2026, accessed October 27, 2026
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• Fanatics Collect Weekly: 2015 Pokémon XY Art Academy Competition Lily-Chan Pikachu #25 PSA 10, closed October 18, 2026, unpaid as of October 27, 2026, accessed October 27, 2026
• Fanatics Collect Weekly: 2002 Pokémon Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Pikachu #86 PSA 10, sold September 27, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
• Fanatics Collect Weekly: 2006 Pokémon EX Holon Phantoms Pikachu Gold Star #104 PSA 10, sold September 27, 2026, accessed October 11, 2026
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