5 Rarest Pokemon Cards Based on Print Runs

Article Summary

PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator broke the record, sold for Rp 289 billion; only 39 mold.
Raichu Pre-Release rarest, only one copy; sold for Rp 9.72 billion (19 Sep 2025) and has the status PSA 6.
Lizardman Mega Battle Trophy and Kamex Bronze only five cast each; Kamex sold for Rp. 31.29 billion.
Blastoise 'Galaxy Star'' only two copies; sold for Rp 6.36 billion. Key card for launch Pokemon TCG in the West.

5 Rarest Pokemon Cards Based on Print Runs

Even though it is not included in the list of rarest cards Pokémon, PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator managed to break the world record.

This card was named the most expensive auction card in the world because it was successfully sold for a fantastic price, namely IDR 289 billion through Goldin.

For collectors, Pikachu Illustrator has a very special value because the number is very limited, namely only 39 pieces.

Not only is the number very small, this card also holds history because it was created in 1998 as a prize for an illustration contest at Japan.

So, what are the rarest Pokemon cards and how much do they cost? TCG, let's read the article until the end!

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List of the Rarest Pokemon Cards

Several factors determine a trading card's value to collectors. One of these is its rarity, which makes the card rarely seen on the market.

This time, we'll discuss the five rarest Pokemon cards in the world, based on their print run. What are they? Here's the list.

1998 Lizardon Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No. 1 (Gold)

Rarest Pokemon Card - Lizardon Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No. 1 — Lizardon Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No 1. Source: Figoca Website

This card was the grand prize of the Lizardon Mega Battle contest in 1998. The silver version given in the contest was sold for around Rp 7.85 billion.

There are only five copies printed worldwide. There has been no publicly verified sales history of this card in recent years. This card is undoubtedly extremely rare.

1998 Kamex Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No. 3 (Bronze)

In fourth place is the Kamex Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No. 3 (Bronze) card which sold for Rp 31.29 billion at this year's Goldin auction event.

This card is very limited in quantity, with only five in existence worldwide, with one card being graded above PSA 8.

Kamex Mega Battle Trophy Pikachu No. 3 (Bronze) is the third place prize that has outsold the first place card in the entire history of the Pokemon TCG awards contest.

The 1997 Trophy Pikachu Trio (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 Trainer)

rarest pokemon cards - Trophy Pikachu Trio — Pikachu Trio Trophy. Source: Dicebreaker.com

In third place are three cards at once, each of which only has four copies worldwide.

This card itself was a prize at the first official tournament in Japan. The Pikachu No. 1 Trainer Trophy sold for Rp 17.38 billion (approximately US$1.1 million) at the Goldin auction.

After the tournament was over, these cards were never seen again on the market, making them one of the rarest Pokemon cards.

Blastoise Commissioned Presentation “Galaxy Star” (1998)

rarest pokemon card - Blaistose Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star — Blaistose Commissioned Presentation Galaxy Star. Source: Heritage Auction Website

The Blaistoise Commissioned Presentation “Galaxy Star” (1998) has two copies worldwide. In January 2021, this card sold for Rp 6.36 billion.

This card was printed by Wizards of the Coast as a presentation material to convince Nintendo to make English Pokemon cards.

Thanks to this presentation, the Pokemon TCG finally began to gain popularity in the western world. However, another copy of this card has never been seen.

Raichu Prerelease (1999)

In first place is the pre-release Raichu card, the only one in existence worldwide. This card sold on September 19, 2025, for Rp 9.72 billion.

This card officially never existed, but was accidentally printed in 1999 during Wizards of the Coast's pre-release Clefable card production.

For decades, collectors have debated the authenticity of this card. The only verified card is a PSA 6 grade.

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So, that's the list of the five rarest cards in the history of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, based on their print run. Which one of these cards would you like to own?

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