{
 "id": "pokemon/promo/pikachu-illustrator",
 "url": "https://cardvolume.com/pokemon/promo/pikachu-illustrator/",
 "markdown_url": "https://cardvolume.com/pokemon/promo/pikachu-illustrator/index.md",
 "name": "Pikachu Illustrator",
 "title": "Pikachu Illustrator no number (CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest promo)",
 "category": "pokemon",
 "category_name": "Pokémon",
 "set": "CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest promo",
 "number": "no number",
 "year": 1998,
 "language": "Japanese",
 "rarity": "Promo / trophy card",
 "artist": "Atsuko Nishida",
 "publisher": "Media Factory",
 "flagship": true,
 "updated": "2026-09-28",
 "as_of": "2026-11-11",
 "summary": "Pikachu Illustrator is a Japanese trophy promo associated with CoroCoro illustration contests. Collectors search for it because its distribution story, condition rarity, and public record sales are unlike normal pack-issued Pokemon cards.",
 "key_facts": [
  "CardVolume lists 6 verified sales of the Pikachu Illustrator no number (CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest promo) as of November 11, 2026.",
  "No grade has the 5 verified sales in 90 days needed for a market price; the most recent verified sale was $5,000,000 for a Japanese promo PSA 9 on September 18, 2026 at Heritage Auctions.",
  "The highest verified sale on record is $16,492,000 for a Japanese promo PSA 10 on February 16, 2026 at Goldin."
 ],
 "versions": [
  {
   "key": "japanese-promo",
   "label": "Japanese promo",
   "how_to_identify": "Japanese text, Illustrator heading, pen-symbol rarity area, Pikachu artwork holding drawing tools, and PSA labels commonly describe it as 1998 Pokemon Japanese Promo Pikachu-Holo Illustrator."
  }
 ],
 "grades": [
  {
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "version_key": "japanese-promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "10",
   "label": "PSA 10",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 2,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2026-02-16",
    "price_usd": 16492000,
    "venue": "Goldin",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/2/logan-pauls-rare-pokemon-card-becomes-most-expensive-ever-sold-in-record-setting-auction"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2026-02-16",
    "price_usd": 16492000,
    "venue": "Goldin",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/2/logan-pauls-rare-pokemon-card-becomes-most-expensive-ever-sold-in-record-setting-auction"
   },
   "population": {
    "count": 1,
    "as_of": "2026-09-20",
    "source_url": "https://better-pop.com/blog/pikachu-illustrator-pop-report/"
   },
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  },
  {
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "version_key": "japanese-promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "9",
   "label": "PSA 9",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 1,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 1,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2026-09-18",
    "price_usd": 5000000,
    "venue": "Heritage Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/trading-cards/pokemon-pikachu-illustrator-unnumbered-promo-corocoro-comics-psa-trading-card-game-mint-9-the-pokemon-company-1998-mba-gold-diamond/a/7459-36028.s"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2026-09-18",
    "price_usd": 5000000,
    "venue": "Heritage Auctions",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/trading-cards/pokemon-pikachu-illustrator-unnumbered-promo-corocoro-comics-psa-trading-card-game-mint-9-the-pokemon-company-1998-mba-gold-diamond/a/7459-36028.s"
   },
   "population": {
    "count": 15,
    "as_of": "2026-09-20",
    "source_url": "https://better-pop.com/blog/pikachu-illustrator-pop-report/"
   },
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  },
  {
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "version_key": "japanese-promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "8",
   "label": "PSA 8",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 2,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2025-06-27",
    "price_usd": 360000,
    "venue": "Fanatics Collect",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.fanaticscollect.com/premier/c3f93e0e-4249-11f0-97be-0a1c7262947d/1998-pokemon-japanese-promo-holo-illustrator-pikachu-psa-8-nm-mt"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2022-10-06",
    "price_usd": 480000,
    "venue": "Goldin Auctions via PSA Cert",
    "buyer_premium_included": true,
    "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/01465538/psa"
   },
   "population": null,
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  },
  {
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "version_key": "japanese-promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "7",
   "label": "PSA 7",
   "market_price_usd": null,
   "market_sales_n": 0,
   "market_window": null,
   "verified_sales": 1,
   "last_verified_sale": {
    "date": "2021-02-28",
    "price_usd": 375000,
    "venue": "eBay via PSA cert page",
    "buyer_premium_included": false,
    "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/93101349/psa"
   },
   "record_sale": {
    "date": "2021-02-28",
    "price_usd": 375000,
    "venue": "eBay via PSA cert page",
    "buyer_premium_included": false,
    "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/93101349/psa"
   },
   "population": null,
   "graded_market_value_usd": null
  }
 ],
 "verified_sales": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-18",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "9",
   "price_usd": 5000000,
   "price": 5000000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Heritage Auctions",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/trading-cards/pokemon-pikachu-illustrator-unnumbered-promo-corocoro-comics-psa-trading-card-game-mint-9-the-pokemon-company-1998-mba-gold-diamond/a/7459-36028.s",
   "status": "cross_checked"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-02-16",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "10",
   "price_usd": 16492000,
   "price": 16492000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Goldin",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/2/logan-pauls-rare-pokemon-card-becomes-most-expensive-ever-sold-in-record-setting-auction",
   "status": "verified"
  },
  {
   "date": "2025-06-27",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "8",
   "price_usd": 360000,
   "price": 360000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Fanatics Collect",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://www.fanaticscollect.com/premier/c3f93e0e-4249-11f0-97be-0a1c7262947d/1998-pokemon-japanese-promo-holo-illustrator-pikachu-psa-8-nm-mt",
   "status": "cross_checked"
  },
  {
   "date": "2022-10-06",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "8",
   "price_usd": 480000,
   "price": 480000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": true,
   "venue": "Goldin Auctions via PSA Cert",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": "54200518",
   "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/01465538/psa",
   "status": "cross_checked"
  },
  {
   "date": "2021-07-22",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "10",
   "price_usd": 5275000,
   "price": 5275000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": false,
   "venue": "Private sale reported by Guinness World Records",
   "sale_type": "private",
   "cert": null,
   "source_url": "https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2022/4/logan-paul-owns-5-275-million-pokemon-card-after-record-breaking-trade-697189",
   "status": "verified"
  },
  {
   "date": "2021-02-28",
   "version": "Japanese promo",
   "grader": "PSA",
   "grade": "7",
   "price_usd": 375000,
   "price": 375000,
   "currency": "USD",
   "buyer_premium_included": false,
   "venue": "eBay via PSA cert page",
   "sale_type": "auction",
   "cert": "53241600",
   "source_url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/93101349/psa",
   "status": "cross_checked"
  }
 ],
 "graded_market_value_usd": null,
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "How much did the PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator sell for at Goldin in 2026?",
   "a": "Guinness World Records reported a $16,492,000 Goldin auction sale on February 16, 2026, with buyer's premium included [1].",
   "source_ids": [
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "How much did Logan Paul pay for the PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator in 2021?",
   "a": "Guinness World Records reported a July 22, 2021 private transaction worth $5,275,000, made from a PSA 9 card valued at $1,275,000 plus $4,000,000 cash [2].",
   "source_ids": [
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "How many PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator cards exist?",
   "a": "BetterPop reported 1 PSA 10 grade event for Pikachu Illustrator, with a current pull dated September 20, 2026 [4].",
   "source_ids": [
    4
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "Was Pikachu Illustrator sold in packs?",
   "a": "No; Guinness World Records states it was never originally sold and was released as a prize in a 1998 illustration contest [1].",
   "source_ids": [
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "Who illustrated Pikachu Illustrator?",
   "a": "Guinness World Records credits the card to Atsuko Nishida, the original creator of Pikachu [1].",
   "source_ids": [
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "q": "Is the exact surviving count established?",
   "a": "No; Guinness uses 39 distributed copies, while BetterPop notes community tracking suggests at least 41, so the surviving count is not established as a single official number [1,4].",
   "source_ids": [
    1,
    4
   ]
  }
 ],
 "sources": [
  {
   "title": "Logan Paul's rare Pokemon card becomes most expensive ever sold in record-setting auction",
   "url": "https://dev-micro.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/2/logan-pauls-rare-pokemon-card-becomes-most-expensive-ever-sold-in-record-setting-auction",
   "publisher": "Guinness World Records"
  },
  {
   "title": "Logan Paul owns $5.275 million Pokemon card after record-breaking trade",
   "url": "https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2022/4/logan-paul-owns-5-275-million-pokemon-card-after-record-breaking-trade-697189",
   "publisher": "Guinness World Records"
  },
  {
   "title": "PSA Cert Verification 93101349",
   "url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert/93101349/psa",
   "publisher": "PSA"
  },
  {
   "title": "Pikachu Illustrator pop report: 56 grade events, one perfect ten",
   "url": "https://better-pop.com/blog/pikachu-illustrator-pop-report/",
   "publisher": "BetterPop"
  },
  {
   "title": "PSA Certification Verification",
   "url": "https://www.psacard.com/cert",
   "publisher": "PSA"
  },
  {
   "title": "Did I purchase fake or counterfeit cards?",
   "url": "https://support.pokemon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002068953-Did-I-purchase-fake-or-counterfeit-cards",
   "publisher": "Pokemon Support"
  }
 ],
 "methodology": "https://cardvolume.com/methodology/",
 "cite_as": "Pikachu Illustrator no number (CoroCoro Comic Illustration Contest promo). CardVolume, https://cardvolume.com/pokemon/promo/pikachu-illustrator/ (accessed 2026-11-11)."
}