One Pokémon card was sold just only 1 million dollars, that's a new world record

Pokemon Pikachu Card

A Pokemon card sold at auction sets a global record, for just under a million dollars despite being in less-than-perfect condition. After selling for just under $1 million at auction, a single Pokémon card, a Japanese Promo "Illustrator" Holographic Pikachu, sets a new world record.

The Pokemon community is well aware that the trading card game remains popular among both players and collectors. Pokemon fans sometimes spend exorbitant sums of money to purchase rare cards and card collections, and now a Pokemon trading card has smashed yet another world record for the amount of money it has sold for.

The hyper-rare Japanese Promo "Illustrator" Holographic Pikachu card went for a remarkable $900,000 USD at an auction presented by Goldin Auctions. This makes it the most expensive Pokémon card to date, surpassing the previous "Illustrator" Pikachu, which sold for $375,000 at auction. According to Goldin, there are only 23 copies of the card in the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) database. The artsy Pikachu has a grade of "Near Mint," which adds to its rarity. Only one other copy of the card is thought to be of comparable quality.

Final Sale Price: $900,000

An all-time record public sale for any Pokémon card. pic.twitter.com/BgO9yPA42I

— Goldin (@GoldinCo) February 24, 2022

The "Illustrator Pikachu" has become infamous in the Pokémon Trading Card Game community because of its scarcity. The card was never included in a core set and was only distributed to the winners of the 1997 Pokémon Card Game Illustration Artist Contest. It was never reprinted after the competition ended. It is the only card in the game that uses the title "Illustrator" rather than the standard "Trainer."

As the popularity of the Pokémon Trading Card Games grows, so do the values of some of its rarer items. Although Illustrator Pikachu is rated one of, if not the, most valuable cards in the game, some cards from the base set sell for comparable sums. Despite scratches and stains, an uncut sheet of holographic first-edition Pokémon cards recently sold for an astonishing $34,000 USD.

Those hoping to find this card in a pack and make a fortune will be surprised to realize that it is not feasible. The Pokemon Illustrator card was first given to the winners of a Pokemon fanart contest in Japan in 1998. There were clearly 39 of them granted, but it's unknown how many of those have survived and how many are in a sellable condition. In any case, it's an extraordinarily uncommon card that no one will ever find when opening a pack.

Having said that, it is not impossible for collectors to come upon high-value cards. For example, the aforementioned holographic Charizard has routinely sold at auction for more than $100,000 USD and has even sold for more than $300,000 when in pristine condition. While one holo Charizard was unfortunately destroyed by a washing machine, fans who locate one of these cards in good condition could find themselves much richer.

Aside from scams, some people have taken to stealing Pokémon Trading Cards through sophisticated heists. A Minnesota gaming business was recently robbed by a criminal who tunneled through the shop's wall and stole roughly $250,000 USD in Pokémon items. It is yet unknown whether the criminal has been caught.

h/s: Goldin Auction

Read More: Fake Pokemon Card Seller got Arrested and Jailed.