Record Pokémon Card Sale
Pokémon Trading Card Game Marks 30 Years with Record $16.5 Million Card Sale
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The Pokémon Trading Card Game is turning 30 in 2026, and it is celebrating in record-breaking style. In February 2026, a single Pokémon card sold for $16.5 million — the highest price ever paid for a trading card, according to Parade.
The card is the Pikachu Illustrator, a rare 1998 Japanese promo card. It is widely known as the "holy grail" of Pokémon collecting. Only 39 official copies exist in the world, and just one has ever earned a perfect grade.
Why the Pikachu Illustrator Card Is So Rare
The Pikachu Illustrator card was not sold in stores. It was given as a prize to winners of a CoroCoro Comic art contest in Japan in 1998, according to Mahoning Matters. That makes it one of the hardest Pokémon cards to find anywhere in the world.
Of the 39 known copies, only one has ever received a PSA 10 grade. PSA is a company that grades cards on a scale from 1 to 10. A perfect 10 means the card is in flawless condition. That single perfect copy is the one that sold for $16.5 million, according to The State.
How Pokémon Cards Became a $16 Million Collectible
Pokémon cards first exploded in popularity in the late 1990s. Kids traded them on playgrounds. Adults stuffed them in binders. But over the decades, rare cards turned into serious investments. The $16.5 million sale shows just how far the market has come, according to Fresno Bee.
The Pikachu Illustrator has broken records before. In 2021, one copy sold for $5.275 million. The jump to $16.5 million in 2026 marks a massive increase in just five years. Collectors and investors have driven prices higher as the hobby has grown into a global market, according to News Observer.
Pokémon's 30th Year Brings a Global First
The record sale is not the only big news for Pokémon's 30th year. The company is planning its first-ever global set launch. For the first time, a new Pokémon card set will be released at the same time in every country around the world, according to Bellingham Herald.
This is a major shift for the brand. In the past, Japan usually got new cards before other countries. The simultaneous global launch shows how big the international fan base has become. Pokémon is no longer just a kids' game — it is a worldwide collecting phenomenon, according to Sun Herald.
What a $16.5 Million Card Means for the Hobby
Record sales like this push more people to dig out their old card collections. The idea that a card once given away as a contest prize is now worth $16.5 million captures the imagination, according to Wenatchee World.
Experts say the Pokémon card market shows no signs of slowing down. With the brand turning 30, launching new global products, and setting auction records, Pokémon has proven it is more than nostalgia. It is one of the most valuable collectible markets on the planet, according to Parade.
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