First Place Trophy Pikachu Bid Tops $2.2 Million in Goldin's Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction

A 1997 Gold 1st Place Trophy Pikachu graded PSA 8 has a $2,225,000 bid in Goldin's 2026 Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction as of October 10, 2026, which comes to $2,714,500 with Goldin's 22% buyer's premium, according to the lot page. The card has drawn 29 bids since pre-bidding started on October 6, and the auction closes on October 25 (US time). ICv2 reported on October 7 that pre-bids were already above $1 million including the buyer's premium.

Current as of October 10, 2026. Bids are not sales, and the final price is set when the auction closes.

What the Trophy Pikachu Is

This card was not sold in packs. It was a prize for winning the first official Pokémon TCG tournament, held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, in June 1997, Goldin's lot description says. The card is a Trainer titled "No.1 Trainer" and shows Pikachu holding a gold trophy on a first place podium, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita.

Key details from the lot page:

• Grade: PSA NM-MT 8
• Population: one of eight copies in PSA's census, per Goldin
• Comparison: Goldin notes PSA has graded 56 Pikachu Illustrator cards, seven times as many as this card
• Auction: lot 1 of the 2026 Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction, with 30-minute extended bidding at the close

ICv2 described the card as the only copy in the PSA census. Goldin's own lot text says eight, and population counts change as more cards are graded.

How It Compares to Other Pikachu Records

Pikachu Illustrator: a PSA 10 sold for $16,492,000 at Goldin in February 2026, which Guinness World Records lists as the most expensive trading card sold at auction. Our guide to the most valuable Pikachu cards covers that sale.

1998 Bronze Trophy Pikachu (No.3 Trainer): a PSA 10 sold for $1,769,000 at Goldin in May 2026, a $1,450,000 hammer plus premium, per the lot page, Wargamer and ComicsBeat.

The 1997 Gold 1st Place card already has a higher bid than that 1998 sale, and the auction still has 15 days to run.

Other Notable Lots in the Auction

The same auction carries several other Pokémon grails. Selected lots and their current bids on October 10, 2026, before the 22% premium:

2003 Skyridge Gengar H9, BGS Pristine 10

• $122,000 bid, 6 bids, per the lot page. Our most valuable Gengar cards guide tracks the Skyridge market

2002 Legendary Collection reverse holo Charizard, PSA 10

• $110,000 bid, 34 bids, per the lot page

2000 Black Star Pokémon League Eevee promo, PSA 10

• $110,000 bid, 3 bids, per the lot page

2005 EX Deoxys sealed booster box

• $110,000 bid, 2 bids, per the lot page. For the sealed record ladder, see the most expensive Pokémon booster boxes

2006 EX Holon Phantoms Gold Star Mewtwo, PSA 10

• $105,000 bid, 14 bids, per the lot page

2004 EX Team Rocket Returns sealed booster box

• $95,000 bid, 4 bids, per the lot page

2000 Black Star Venusaur promo #13, PSA 10

• $91,000 bid, 14 bids, per the lot page

2004 EX Team Rocket Returns Gold Star Mudkip #107, PSA 10

• $80,000 bid, 5 bids, per the lot page

1999 Japanese Masaki promo Gengar #94, PSA 10

• $63,000 bid, 13 bids, per the lot page. Another PSA 10 sold for $207,400 at Goldin in August 2026

2015 Art Academy Daisuke Ochiai Mudkip, PSA 10

• $37,000 bid, 6 bids, per the lot page. Another PSA 10 of this card sold for $3,720,000 at Fanatics Collect in September 2026

What Happens Next

Goldin's lot page has taken bids since October 6, and ICv2 reported that the auction officially begins on October 15. The lots close at 10 p.m. ET on October 25, 2026, with 30-minute extended bidding, so a late bid pushes the close back. We will update this page with the final results.

Where to Go From Here

Few collectors will bid on a seven-figure prize card, but the same hunt for scarce Pokémon cards runs at every price level. 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 10, 2026. Bids change until the auction closes. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with Goldin, Fanatics Collect, The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, PSA or the other companies named.

Sources

• Goldin: 1997 Pokémon Japanese Promo Gold 1st Place 1st Tournament #1 Trophy Pikachu PSA 8, live auction, accessed October 10, 2026
• ICv2: First Place Promo Pre-Bids Over $1 Million in Goldin's 2026 Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction, published October 7, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Bronze 3rd Place 3rd Tournament Trophy Pikachu PSA 10, sold May 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
• Guinness World Records: Most expensive trading card sold at auction, accessed October 10, 2026
• Wargamer: Another ancient Pikachu Pokémon card just sold for almost $2 million, updated May 19, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
• ComicsBeat: 1998 Pokémon Japanese 3rd place Pikachu card sells for $1.7 million, published May 19, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 2003 Pokémon Skyridge H9 Gengar BGS Pristine 10, live auction, accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 1999 Pokémon Japanese Vending Masaki Promo #94 Gengar PSA 10, live auction, accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Promo Art Academy Daisuke Ochiai Mudkip PSA 10, live auction, accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 2002 Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Charizard PSA 10 (live), 2000 Black Star Eevee PSA 10 (live), 2006 Gold Star Mewtwo PSA 10 (live), 2000 Black Star Venusaur PSA 10 (live), accessed October 10, 2026
• Goldin: 2026 Pokémon 30th Anniversary Auction listing, accessed October 10, 2026
• Fanatics Collect: 2015 Pokémon Japanese XY Promo Art Academy Daisuke Ochiai Mudkip PSA 10, sold September 25, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026
• SI Collectibles: Daisuke Ochiai Pokémon promo becomes most valuable Mudkip card in history, published September 27, 2026, accessed October 10, 2026