The true value of trading cards, especially Pokemon cards, is often underestimated by most people. However, after reading this article, we're confident that everyone will finally grasp just how valuable they can be.
On April 21, Heritage Auctions held an auction where a rare 1997 Pokemon card fetched an astonishing $300,000! To understand why this card was so valuable, let's delve into its backstory.
In 1997, the first-ever Pokemon TCG tournament took place in Chiba, Japan, and the top three players in each division received Trophy Pikachu cards as their prize. These cards were extremely rare, with less than 100 printed by The Pokemon Company. Moreover, only four of them have been authenticated and graded by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), and this specific card (PSA 8) holds the highest grade among them.
Despite being one of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence, the amount it sold for at the auction was astounding to many. This includes Heritage's consignment director for trading card games, Jesus Garcia, who expressed his surprise by stating:
The historical importance of this card had us confident it would do well, but the result exceeded everyone's expectations. This card was not in the booster boxes that were offered at the time. It only was available to trainers who finished third at the First Official Pocket Monsters Tournament in Chiba, Japan, in 1997. It is an extraordinarily rare card, now stands as a centerpiece in the winning bidder's collection.
The recent Heritage Auction was an enormous success, generating sales of more than $2.4 million. Along with the PSA 8 card, there were various other rare Pokemon items up for auction, such as a sealed 1st Edition Base Set Booster Box, which fetched $237,500, and a Base Set Test Print Uncut Sheet that sold for $250,000—eight times more than its estimated value before the auction.
This is not the only instance where a rare Pokemon card has commanded an exorbitant price. Last year, YouTuber and WWE wrestler Logan Paul opened a $1 million first edition Pokemon box and uncovered some of the rarest Pokemon cards, including two first-edition Charizard cards estimated to be worth around $500,000.
There was another instance towards the end of last year where a rare Pokemon card made headlines, this time involving NFL player Blake Martinez, who retired from the sport after selling a highly prized Pokemon Illustrator card. The card had received a remarkable 9.5 "Gem Mint" rating and was eventually sold for $672,000 through Goldin auctions.
