Why a Pokémon card sold for $4 million

The legendary Pikachu Illustrator card—long regarded as the rarest and most valuable Pokémon card in existence—has once again proven its status as the “Holy Grail” of the franchise. On September 12, a PSA 9-graded copy of the card sold on eBay for a staggering $4,000,000, cementing its place at the top of the trading card hierarchy

From Contest Prize to Global Phenomenon

First printed in 1998 for winners of the CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest in Japan, only about 41 copies of the Pikachu Illustrator are believed to exist. Unlike other trainer cards, this one bears the word “ILLUSTRATOR” and features Pikachu wielding an oversized paintbrush. At the time, it was a charming novelty for contest winners. Today, it’s a multimillion-dollar collector’s piece.

Over the years, condition has become everything. The card Logan Paul infamously purchased for $5.275 million in 2022was a PSA 10—perfect condition. Meanwhile, lower-graded copies have sold for anywhere from hundreds of thousands to just under a million. The $4M sale marks the highest ever for a PSA 9, dwarfing a nearly identical card sold just last month for $625,000.

The Seller’s Long Game

The winning auction came from veteran collector Scott “smpratte” Pratte, who has been part of the high-end Pokémon card market for over a decade. Remarkably, he sold a PSA 9 Illustrator back in 2013 for just $50,000—about 1.25% of the value of his latest sale. Timing, it seems, is everything. With PSA now listing 15 copies graded 9, 12 copies at 8, and 7 at 7, the window for record-breaking prices may be closing fast.

The Market’s Wild Swings

Pokémon card values exploded during the pandemic, when lockdowns rekindled interest in collectibles. That boom culminated in Logan Paul’s high-profile purchase, which pushed the market into mainstream headlines. Since then, prices have fluctuated wildly, with some cards unsold at reserve prices and others skyrocketing when tied to celebrity hype or rarity milestones. Whether the $4M sale marks a peak or a new baseline remains to be seen.

Beyond the Illustrator

For those without a few million dollars lying around, Pratte is still offering rare prize cards like a PSA 10 Illusion’s Zorua for “just” $20,000. Meanwhile, other classic Pokémon TCG sets remain more attainable for fans who want a piece of nostalgia without betting the house.

💡 Player Tip: If you’re tempted by the collectible boom, remember—markets rise and fall. Buy cards you actually love, not just ones you hope will make you rich. Pikachu may wield a paintbrush, but the real artistry here is timing the market.

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