Without a doubt, Pikachu is the most recognized Pokémon of all time. It was Ash’s original travel partner in the anime and has remained a favorite across 20+ years of games, stuffed animals, and any other Pokémon item ever released. At this point in time, over 200 Pikachu Pokémon cards have been released.
If that’s not enough? Pikachu has several popular memes.
See what I mean?
Despite Pikachu not being one of the most expensive or sought after cards in a lot of cases, it most certainly has a loyal following. On top of that, the most expensive Pikachu’s hold some incredibly impressive value. So much so that this list even gives the Top 25 most expensive Charizard list a run for its money.
To clarify, this will not be a “most expensive ever sold” list. It will be based on the average sold value for a raw or ungraded copies of cards you can attain through eBay.
That means that this list will not include some of the ridiculously rare or hard to get a hold of cards. It also means this list can give a very real value for Pikachu cards you may have stored away in a binder somewhere.
Be aware that these prices can also fluctuate up or down a lot based on the condition of the cards. Because this is average sold pricing though, it should give you a good idea of value regardless.
*Please note that this article was updated on 2/2/2025 and prices may have changed since then. There is also a Pikachu from the Surging Sparks Set that was not included yet due to a coming reprint. Stand by for that next update!*
Let’s get to it!
#25 – Pikachu #323/S-P
Raw: ~$170 | PSA 10: ~$300
Coming in first on our list is the Japanese Pikachu #323.
The Pikachu #323/S-P was a “send-off” card signaling the end of the Sword and Shield Era of Pokémon. This card showed all of the main “meta” cards in the series crammed together with Pikachu (who was not meta) oddly enough.
This card could only be obtained in the Precious Collector Box : Sword and Shield, which were sold on the Pokémon Center website from May 10th and 25th in 2022. Since they were pretty rare and limited to 1 per customer, this card and the box it came in quickly became pretty expensive.
If you wanted to try and get the whole box today, you would be spending upwards of $500-700. For just the one card, you’ll be shelling out around $300.
#24 – Japanese Pikachu Master Ball Holo #25
Raw: ~$170 | PSA 10: ~$350
Next on the list is the Master Ball Holo from the Japanese 151 set. The Pokeball and Masterball holos were exclusive to the Japanese set and have gained and held some incredibly impressive values since release.
If you like the card but don’t want to shell out as much, the PokeBall holo Pikachu is much cheaper and has nearly the same look.
#23 – Ooyama’s Pikachu [Series III] #025
Raw: ~$185 | PSA 10: ~$850
The Ooyama’s Pikachu might have to win for the most unique art on the list. From the Japanese Vending set, this exclusive Pikachu is hand drawn and would be a standout in any binder collection.
This card could only be obtained as part of a CoroCoro magazine promo and was only released in Japan. While Ooyama was a designer for Pokemon TCG, he only had a handful of cards that he illustrated, with this being the centerpiece.
#22 – Pikachu Legendary Collection [Reverse Holo] #86
Raw: ~200 | PSA 10: ~$3,600
The reverse holographic Legendary Collection set remains one of the most unique and interesting of any set ever released. And sitting at the 3rd most expensive card from that set only behind Charizard and Blastoise is, you guessed it, this Pikachu (sorry Venusaur).
The holographic portion of the Legendary Collection set (basically the whole card) is incredibly touchy. Even newly printed they can have a lot of lines and other issues, and do get scratched very easily. So getting this particular card in a PSA 10 can net you around $3,500!
#21 – Pikachu Battle Festa 2017 #61/SM-P
Raw: ~225 | PSA 10: ~$775
The Pikachu #61/SM-P was an exclusive Japanese promo card, released as part of the 2017 Battle Festa Event in Japan (not unlike a few others on this list).
While there are some other solid arts on this list, this Pikachu is absolutely one of the cooler ones.
#20 – Pikachu [1st Edition Shadowless Red Cheeks] #58
Raw: ~225 | PSA 10: ~$4,200
Coming in at #20, the 1st Edition Shadowless Red Cheeks Pikachu was released in the OG 1st Edition shadowless set. That set is home to the OG 1st Edition Charizard that every millenial hopes to pull out of their parents attic when they dig up their cards.
Even if you don’t have that Charizard, the red cheeks Pikachu is a non-holo card that still holds incredibly impressive value for being a common card. There are also a lot of different variants of this card despite having the same Pikachu picture, so make sure yours matches exactly to the image above if you think you have one!
#19 – Japanese Pikachu [Gold Star] #104
Raw: ~225 | PSA 10: ~$2,600
The Japanese Gold Star Pikachu from the Japanese version of the Holon Phantoms set (aka Pokémon Japanese 2005 Gift Box) is second in value only to the Japanese Gold Star Gyarados.
While not as impressive in value as the English (hint hint), the Japanese Gold Star Pikachu is still a highly sought after card and worth having in any Pikachu collection.
#18 – Pikachu [Battle Festa] #90/XY-P
Raw: ~230 | PSA 10: ~$1,300
The Battle Festa Pikachu was a promo card given out only in, you guessed it, Japan across 5 different locations. This particular one was the first print for the event which was created by the artist Hitoshi Ariga.
More to come on the Battle Festa event…
#17 – Pikachu [1st Edition Ghost Stamp] #58
Raw: ~250 | PSA 10: ~$700
Yet another vintage comes in at #17, and to the untrained eye it looks pretty dang close to the regular shadowless Pikachu. The 1st Edition Ghost stamp Pikachu card was actually an error card that has grown to an impressive $250 in its raw form.
Because of a printing error, the entire 1 and part of the “edition” stamp is actually missing, leaving the only e ition “ghost stamp” behind.
If you’d like to read how the ghost stamp happened in the first place, check out this article from CGC going into the details.
#16 – Pikachu & Zekrom GX #101
Raw: ~275 | PSA 10: ~$700
Next up is the Pikachu & Zekrom GX from the incredibly popular Japanese Tag Bolt set (equivalent to the English Team-Up set). This card is only second to the Latias & Latios GX card and absolutely deserves its top spot.
In case you felt like Pikachu needed company, why not have him riding the gigantic legendary Pokémon, Zekrom?
#15 – Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat #85
Raw: ~300 | PSA 10: ~$730
Coming in at #15, the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat, also known as the Van Gogh Pikachu, caused a tremendous amount of stir and is absolutely worth discussing.
The Van Gogh Pikachu was released as part of an exhibition regarding the famous painter, Vincent Van Gogh, and his connection to Japanese culture and art.
What was supposed to be a fun add to the museum event quickly turned into chaos and was a dangerous enough scene to force the museum to stop giving out the cards entirely.
Because of this, the card quickly became incredibly valuable and still holds an impressive value of $300
Be aware that this card also already has fakes floating around in the market. If you’re trying to pick one up, only buy from trusted sellers.
#14 – Pikachu [1st Edition Error] #1
Raw: ~300 | PSA 10: ~?
Before you get too excited because you think that you have it this card, you should know that the 1st Edition Error for the Black Star Promo Pikachu #1 was a very rare error. Believe it or not, this was actually not from the Black Star Promo set!
Oddly enough, this card could only be pulled from a 1st Edition Jungle pack! For some reason, it had the Black Star Promo print rather than a Jungle symbol, which is part of what made it so rare.
If you’re lucky enough to have this version of this card, then you quickly turned a $7 card into one worth over $300! Because there are only 9 PSA 10 versions of this card, the PSA 10 price is currently left to your imagination!
#13 – Pikachu #227/S-P
Raw: ~350 | PSA 10: ~$700
At #13 comes yet another promo Pikachu. This Pikachu though has one of the most unique and favorited art of any on the list.
The Pikachu #227 Promo was available in the Pokémon Stamp Box sets and could be pre-ordered through either the Japan Post Service website or the 2021 Japan World Stamp Championship Exhibition.
The Pikachu #227/S-P was designed by Hishikawa Moronobu.
#12 – Birthday Pikachu [Natta Wake] #25
Raw: ~$370 | PSA 10: ~$3,100
Not to be confused with the Black Star Promo Birthday Pikachu, the Natta Wake version along with the other two were designed by artist Kagemaru Himeno and released in 1998 as a celebration for the 2nd anniversary of the trading card game.
While the Black Star Birthday Pikachu’s still touch around $80 in their raw form, the Natta Wake version was harder to come by and sits in an impressive #14 spot on this list.
#11 – Japanese Pikachu EX #94
Raw: ~$400 | PSA 10: ~$1,200
This Japanese Pikachu EX, dare I say, contends to be the coolest art of any on this list. Released in 2019, it was part of the 20th Anniversary release.
The booster boxes that you could potentially find one of these currently would cost you around $2200+. If you are wanting to grab this card for the collection, it will still cost you around $400.
#10 – Pikachu #229/BW-P
Raw: ~$450 | PSA 10: ~$2,000
The Pikachu #229/BW-P was yet another specialty release Pikachu. Unlike a lot of others on this list, this Pikachu was from the Black and White era. In case you didn’t pick up on it, the letters before the -P signify the era that it came from. Hence BW-P for this promo particularly.
This cards rarity and price comes from the fact that it was only available to pick up in the Pokémon Center 15th Anniversary Premium Card Set. Noticed a trend on this list yet? Don’t worry, we’re far from done talking about promo events.
#9 – Pikachu [Gold Star] #104
Raw: ~$650 | PSA 10: ~$8,400
Coming in at #10 is one of the more Legendary Pikachu’s from one of the most legendary Pokémon sets ever released. The Gold Star Pikachu from the Holon Phantoms set.
For any vintage collector, the Gold Star cards have a special ring to them and have continued to hold impressive value across the entire set. In the Holon Phantoms set particularly, the Gold Star Pikachu is the rarest and most expensive.
Next to all Gold Star Pokémon cards, the Pikachu falls only to the Charizard in value. And on this list, it’s PSA 10 value is only second to one other.
#8 – Japanese Pikachu #288/SM-P
Raw: ~$700 | PSA 10: ~$3,000
The Pikachu #288 Promo is the second that was released as part of a collaboration between Pokémon and an art Museum.
Fortunately, this Pikachu didn’t have the same chaotic outcome as the Van Gogh Pikachu. The design and art was made with the same idea in mind though.
This Pikachu was created with the same style as The Scream by Edvard Munch. It was displayed and given out at the “Munch: A Retrospective” event in Japan.
#7 – Pikachu #400/SM-P
Raw: ~$950 | PSA 10: ~$1,100
The Pikachu #400/SM-P is yet another specialty release that could only be obtained in the Limited Collection Master Battle Set. It could be reserved online through the Online Pokémon Center in August of 2019.
Limited release? Check. Cool artwork? Check. Adorable? Double check.
#6 – Pikachu [E3 Red Cheeks] #58
Raw: ~$1,000 | PSA 10: ~$3,000
Interestingly enough, the #6 most expensive card is actually the final and most expensive vintage card on the list.
There is a Yellow Cheeks E3 Pikachu as well as the red-cheeks version. The yellow cheeks version is much more common and is only worth around $20. The Red Cheeks variant though could only be obtained at the Nintendo booth at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (Hence the E3). It was only available for 3 days, which is a big part of the reason for the price tag.
As per most of the cards on this list, the rarity and price of this card comes from it’s exclusive “you had to be there” release.
And if you have a PSA 10 version of this card? You would have 1 of 62 PSA 10s in the world.
Quick Intermission – Pikachu Promo Cards
Some of you may have gotten to this point and fell something is missing. You may be asking yourself, “what about all of the poncho Pikachu cards? Aren’t those super valuable? Why haven’t any of those shown up yet?
And if you’re not asking yourself that, fear not. I’ll fill you in.
There were a few different Japanese Promo Pikachu boxes released between 2014 and 2017. They were released only in Japan at their Pokémon centers as promotional items. These boxes were (and still are) very hard to get a hold of and have the price to match.
They were so hard to get a hold of in fact that if I included all of them, they would take up nearly half of the top spots on this list.
So if you’re holding onto a Pikachu dressed up as a Gyarados, Rayquaza, or just dressed in a Poncho, it’s likely that the card you’re holding is worth looking up online because it may be worth some serious cash. Beware if it is a gold card though as those are unfortunately fake. There are other fakes of these as well so be careful out there.
So apologies to all of the poncho loving Pikachu fans out there for not including every one. This list could only handle a few and trust me, the top 5 should more than satisfy you.
#5 – Luigi Pikachu #296/XY-P
Raw: ~$1,500 | PSA 10: ~$3,700
See what I mean? Coming in at #5 is the Luigi Pikachu from one of the promo boxes we just discussed. Coming in at a whopping $1,500, this cards rarity and art quickly became a favorite for collectors.
This card along with the $600 Luigi Pikachu #295/XY-P were released only in the Luigi box. So if you want one? You’ll have to shell out some serious cash.
And it’s only #5…
#4 – Mario Pikachu #294/XY-P
Raw: ~$1,700 | PSA 10: ~$6,400
What happens when you mash up two incredibly popular characters from the Nintendo franchise? BAM, #4 most expensive Pikachu ever.
Yet another Japanese promo card comes in with the top 3. It should be no surprise that Mario beats out his brother Luigi once again.
If you aren’t satisfied yet with poncho and special promo Pikachu’s, just scroll down a bit further.
#3 – Poncho-Wearing Pikachu Charizard #208/XY-P
Raw: ~$1,800 | PSA 10: ~$4,400
What did I tell you? Promo Pikachu cards absolutely dominate this list and don’t show any sign of going anywhere.
This particular version sports a Pikachu wearing a Charizard hood is certainly a favorite for many and could once again only be obtained in Japan during a Pokémon Center campaign.
Like Charizard and Pikachu? This may be the card for you.
#2 – Japanese Poncho-Wearing Pikachu #207/XY-P
Raw: ~$2,100 | PSA 10: ~$5,100
At #2 comes yet another Poncho-Wearing Pikachu card. This Japanese promo sets were definitely rare but exploded in value after the Pokémon resurgence of 2021.
While rarity is certainly one factor, another is that the art and style can be appreciated by just about anyone. Add on the fact that it’s adorable, and there you have one of the most expensive Pikachu cards ever released.
This particular Pikachu could only be obtained in the Mega Charizard X Poncho-wearing Pikachu Special Box. Whew, that is quite a mouthful.
#1 – Pikachu 20th Anniversary Festa #279/XY-P
Raw: ~$2,600 | PSA 10: ~$8,500
Believe it or not, this is the most expensive Pikachu card ever released (for those of you scoffing check #0 below). The Festa Pikachu was actually a 20th anniversary edition card that could only be obtained in Japan at the 2016 Festa event.
The fact that it was only attainable at this one event made it an incredibly rare card. And despite that being the case for some of the others, this particular Pikachu sits at the top of the list.
It’s also not so rare though that you can’t pick up a copy on eBay. So if you have a few grand lying around, why not grab one for yourself?
#0 – Pikachu Illustrator
~$???
A lot of you may have been expecting this card to be #1, so it’s probably worth writing about for at least a minute.
The Pikachu Illustrator card actually holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold at $5.275 MILLION. There were only 41 ever made and it’s record deal with Logan Paul are what some argue were a big reason that Pokémon cards burst back on the scene in 2021.
So does it hold the record? Yes. Is it a Pikachu card? Eh, kind of.
This list is based on the average sold prices for Pikachu cards. And with this one only having 41 in existence, it didn’t seem like a fitting comparison. Hopefully you are satisfied with that explanation.
Summary
There you have it! The 25 most expensive Pikachu cards of today. I’ll cross my fingers for you that you dug one out of your old dusty binder.
If you didn’t get enough Pikachu and gold card information, check out my other article going into just that!
If you have one of these or any card on this list and are wondering if you should grade it, check out my other article on Pokémon card grading!
Need more cute cards in your life? Look no further.
Questions or comments? Send me a message at [email protected]!
Thanks for reading!