Best Pikachu Pokemon Cards to Charge Up Your Collection

Step into any Pokemon card store and you’d be electrified by the most iconic face in trading card games—Pikachu, the lovable electric mouse. Since Pikachu cards burst onto the scene in 1996, they've become red-hot, highly sought-after collectibles.

The release of Pokémon's first movie Mewtwo Strikes Back also brought fans the coveted First Movie Pikachu promo card.

With 201 Pikachu cards released in the Pokémon Trading Card Game since its early days, there's something for every budget, even if it's not in the $5 million range. Supercharge your collection with the top Pikachu Pokemon cards on this list.

As the electrifying mascot of Pokémon Company International, Pikachu has captivated fans and helped sell over 200 million games and $1.5 billion in merchandise since 1996. Pikachu cards hold value due to features like holographic and 24K gold prints.

The world of Pokémon collecting has seen some jaw-dropping sales, like the 2002 Legendary Collection Pikachu Reverse Holo PSA 10 fetching $4,120 and the original Birthday Pikachu soaring to $6,750.

With quality, grading, and rarity influencing card values, it's no wonder Pikachu card collecting sparks excitement and investment potential.

Let’s explore the most valuable and rarest Pikachu cards in history, from the Pikachu Star and the iconic 2001 Black Star Promo worth up to $6,750 to the ultra-pricey record holder: a 1998 Japanese Pikachu Illustrator that sold for an exuberant $5.3 million to influencer Logan Paul.

With only 39 Pikachu Illustrator promo cards and 106 EX Holon Phantoms Gold Star Pikachus copies in existence, these incredibly rare cards have become prized possessions in the Pokemon TCG.

1. 2001 Black Star Promo Birthday Pikachu Holo #24

• Price Range: $37 to $3,200
• Highest Sale Price: $6,750
• PSA 10 Supply: 136
• Type: Birthday

The iconic 2001 Black Star Promo Birthday Pikachu Holo (Birthday Pikachu-Holo #24) delights Pokémon TCG collectors. This promo card rose to fame as part of a Create Your Own Pokémon Card campaign and was so popular that it earned a reprint in the more recent Celebrations set.

PSA 10 Pokemon promo cards are quite limited—only 136 cards exist and the highest sale price of $6,750 is a testament to its uniqueness. Recent sales—such as a PSA 9 for $143 and $90 for one graded PSA 7—prove the card's popularity and worth.

2. 1998 Japanese Pikachu Illustrator Promo Card

• Price Range: $375,000 to $6 million
• Highest Sale Price: $5.3 million
• PSA 10 Supply: 1
• Type: Japanese Promo

The 1998 Japanese Pikachu Illustrator is the holy grail of all Pokemon cards, highly sought-after by collectors and hobbyists worldwide. This rare card features artwork from Pikachu's original illustrator Atsuko Nishida and was awarded as a prize for a CoroCoro Comic illustration contest.

Only 39 copies were printed, with 24 of those graded by PSA. Logan Paul paid a record-breaking $5.3 million for a PSA 10 card, making it the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold. With a supply of just ten, Pikachu illustrator cards could continue to soar in value.

Unsurprisingly, even the PSA 9-graded Pikachu Illustrator is listed on eBay for a staggering $2 million. If you have a collection of Pokemon cards from the 1990s, you should blow off the dust and check if you have a valuable Pikachu Illustrator among them.

3. 1995 Japanese Topsun Blue Back No Number Pikachu

• Price Range: $21 to $1,440
• Highest Sale Price: $11,000
• PSA 10 Supply: 1
• Type: Japanese Topsun

The highest sale price for this particular card was $11,000. On the other hand, its PSA 10 supply is incredibly scarce, with just one card fetching the highest grade possible: a coveted gem mint.

Recent sales of this card include $1,440 for PSA 9, $133 for PSA 5, and $318 for another PSA 5. This impressive price history can only be expected from such a rare and iconic vintage trading card.

4. 1996 Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Pikachu

• Price Range: $10 to $450
• Highest Sale Price: $563
• PSA 10 Supply: 51
• Type: No Rarity Symbol

If you're a serious Pokémon collector, the 1996 Japanese Base Set No Rarity Symbol Pikachu may be just what you're looking for. This card comes from the first print run and is missing the rarity symbol added in the subsequent print run.

The card’s rarity and high collector value make it a top pick for Pokémon fans. A recent sale reached $563, showing its investment potential. With only 51 PSA 10 cards available, snatching one of these rarities could prove lucrative—even a PSA 7 recently fetched $103 at auction.

5. 2006 EX Holon Phantoms Pikachu  Holo #104 (Gold Star)

• Price Range: $330 to $6,000
• Highest Sale Price: $15,100
• PSA 10 Supply: 106
• Type: Gold Star

The 2006 EX Holon Phantoms Gold Star Pikachu is a super rare chase card that's highly sought after by Pokémon collectors. With 106 PSA 10-graded copies in circulation, it’s easy to see why this Gold Star card is valuable.

Recent sales of the card range from $330 to $810, with the highest sale price reaching an eye-popping $15,100. This Pikachu is undeniably one of the most coveted cards of the modern Pokemon TCG era, making it a potentially electrifying value play.

6. 1999 Pokemon Game Red Cheeks-Shadowless Pikachu #58

• Price Range: $17 to $150
• Highest Sale Price: $10,000
• PSA 10 Supply: 714
• Type: Base Set

The 1999 Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Red Cheeks Pikachu is an incredibly rare and valuable piece of Pokemon history. Mitsuhiro Arita designed the card with yellow cheeks, but WOTC assumed it was a mistake and changed it to red without consulting Arita, resulting in a limited number of red-cheek Pikachu cards.

The card has fetched tidy sums—with the highest sale price being $10,000—like the PSA 7 that changed hands on eBay for $338 in October 2020. The card isn’t the rarest on this list, but is still scarce, with only 714 PSA 10-graded copies to grab.

Despite its high cost, this card could be a solid investment in the Pokémon franchise due to its potential for value appreciation over time.

Investing in Pikachu Pokémon cards can yield substantial returns, as evidenced by prices fetched in recent sales. Seven-figure profits are possible in some cases, with the rarest cards fetching $1 million or more.

For investors eyeing Pikachu Pokémon cards, it's crucial to research the market, assess the card condition, and consider rarity factors. That way, you'll be prepared to make a wise investment when the opportunity comes along. Just remember to safeguard your valuable cards to preserve their worth and your potential profits.