The collectables world was shaken on Wednesday when a single pokemon trading card broke the world record for the most expensive Pokemon trading card ever sold, selling to an anonymous American bidder for an incredible $233,000 (NIS 796,918.25 or JPY 25 million).
#GuinessWorldRecord here we come Ever wondered what the world's most expensive #PokemonCard is? Find out how #Pokemon's #Pikachu just set a new world record!https://t.co/8udr5ROtrc
— ZenMarket.jp (@zenmarket_en) July 22, 2020
The card is a part of the extremely rare "Illustrator" series of cards, which were released exclusively through a Japanese comic contest which was held in 1998. Of the 39 cards released initially, only 10 remain, making it "the most valuable and rarest card in the world," according to Japanese auction site ZenPlus, which sold the record-breaking card.
The previous record for most expensive Pokemon card, who also sold a “Pikachu Illustrator," was set in October of 2019 and sold for $190,000.
The most valuable trading card of all time however, still remains by a wide margin the "Honus Wagner 1909-11 T206" card, which features one of the greatest MLB shortstops of all time, and sold for an amazing $3.2 million in October of 2016.
The limited "Illustrator" series was named as such since it features art by Atsuko Nishida, the original illustrator of Pikachu.
According to the auction site, the 22-year-old card is graded as being in "superb condition with only one flaw."
Despite the high value of the card, it actually completely useless in a competitive sense. The front text reads "we certify that your illustration is an excellent entry in the Pokemon Card Game Illustration Contest. Therefore, we state that you are an Officially Authorized Pokemon Card Illustrator and admire your skill.”