Most Expensive Pokemon Cards

The only PSA 10 in existence. Awarded to winners of three CoroCoro Comic illustration contests in 1997 and 1998. Illustrator Atsuko Nishida is the original designer of Pikachu. Roughly 39 copies total were ever distributed. Logan Paul sold this specific card to venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci, having bought it privately for $5.275M in 2022.

Awarded to the first-place finisher at the 1999 Japanese Pokemon Card Game Official Tournament. Illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Fewer than 30 copies were ever presented across the year's regional finals. High-grade copies almost never surface at auction.

The single most-recognized Pokemon card in the hobby. About 120 copies exist in PSA 10, but the earliest first-edition print runs remain the flagship trophy of the Base Set generation. Price has moved between $300K and $955K depending on the auction and buyer pool.

One of the most controversial cards in TCG history. Believed to be an accidental test print never officially released. Only a handful of copies are known to exist and Wizards of the Coast has never confirmed distribution.

Distributed only to parent-child duos who won at the 1998 Family Tournament in Japan. Estimated 43 copies awarded. The card that started competitive Pokemon parent-and-child events.

Only around 19 PSA 10 copies exist. The chase card of the EX Deoxys set. Gold Star cards were pulled at roughly 1 in 200 packs during the EX era, making Gem Mint copies of specific Legendary Pokemon nearly impossible to source.

Reverse-holo Gengar from Legendary Collection is one of the toughest cards in the modern hobby to grade PSA 10. Population is single digits. When one surfaces it clears six figures without question.

Distributed only through POP Series 5 packs and Pokemon League point redemptions. Well under 100 PSA 10 copies exist in English. The Espeon-Umbreon pair from POP 5 is the alt-art era's defining chase.

Runner-up prize from the first CoroCoro illustration contest. Not to be confused with the No.1 Illustrator card. Around 20 copies were distributed. Illustrated by Atsuko Nishida.

Handed out at showings of Pokemon the Movie 2000. English print run was large but PSA 10 copies are surprisingly scarce because of the foil-tilt scratches inherent to the print process.

A later reprint of the Rayquaza Gold Star art in Call of Legends is often confused with the EX Deoxys original. Substantially more common but PSA 10 copies still clear six figures.

Pikachu Gold Stars sell at premium regardless of print because Pikachu is the mascot Pokemon. Holon Phantoms PSA 10 copies are the desirable version among Gold Star collectors.

One of two Mew promos from the Southern Islands set. Japanese distribution only. Small print run and holo scratches at grading make PSA 10 copies rare.

Treecko Gold Star from Team Rocket Returns is the sleeper of the EX era. Overlooked next to the flagship Legendary Gold Stars but has appreciated aggressively over the last two years.

The Legendary Collection Charizard reverse holo is a print variant that many collectors miss on first pass. PSA 10 population is under 60 copies. Approximately $120K clearing price.