The most valuable promo Pokemon Cards are worth significantly more than cards pulled from booster packs. While these can be worth thousands of dollars, there are numerous promo cards that eclipse the value of even the most valuable Charizard cards, for example.
These promotional cards were printed for tournaments, events, or competitions and were hard to acquire when new; you couldn’t just pop down to your local store and buy as many booster packs as possible.
To get one, you needed to win TCG tournaments, enter competitions, or just be in the right place at the right time.
Promotional TCG cards are still being printed, but only the rarest cards fetch the prices that make headlines. We’ve gathered all these promotional cards together.
Who knows, if you have memories of attending a TCG event in the 90s, it might be worth rummaging through those old boxes.
1. CoroCoro Comics Promo Pikachu Illustrator – $5,275,000
The renown of the coveted Pikachu Illustrator card goes far beyond the Pokemon TCG community. A Guinness World Record was awarded to YouTuber Logan Paul in 2021 after he exchanged $4,000,000 and a PSA 9 Pikachu Illustrator card (worth $1,275,000) for a PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator.
This extraordinarily high price makes Pikachu Illustrator the most expensive Pokemon TCG card sold in a private sale. In 2022, a PSA Grade 7 print sold at auction for $900,000, a staggeringly high price for an imperfect Pokemon Card.
The astronomical price of Pikachu Illustrator is down to a few unique factors. Given to winners of a contest hosted by the Japanese magazine Coro Coro, entrants who illustrated the best Pokemon card won one of the cards. It’s the only promo card with the “Illustrator” card type and pen icon in the bottom right corner.
There are 41 copies of the card in the wild, of which PSA has graded 27.
2. Blastoise Presentation Galaxy Star Holo – $360,000
Between 1998 and 2003, game publisher Wizards of the Coast (WotC) produced Pokemon TCG cards in the US. To win the license, the publisher produced two Pokemon cards to prove to Nintendo executives it could print quality cards. WotC printed two of these cards, making this lone relic the rarest Pokemon card.
The front of the cards, featuring a Holographic Blastoise, are identical, but they each sport a unique backing. One features a Magic the Gathering back, while the other is blank. This blank copy was sold for $360,000 in 2021, while the other’s location is unknown.
Unless the other MtG-backed print surfaces, this might be the only print in existence. Beyond its unique back, the card featured a slightly different design to its Base Set equivalent, which is the most valuable Blastoise card. An alternative font, layout, and artwork make this rare Pokemon card truly one of a kind.
3. 1997 Bronze Trophy Pikachu No. 3 – $300,000
Before the Pokemon TCG entered the US, the top three contestants of Japan’s first official Pokemon tournament won one of these prize cards. Featuring Pikachu holding a bronze, silver, or gold trophy, the bronze trophy print sold in 2023 for $300,000.
The tournament was held in 1997 before the Pokemon Company established the TCG design we know and love. This card, therefore, features the original Pocket Monsters design on the back of the card, which was discontinued in 2001.
This print of the card is graded at PSA 8 and is the most valuable of the three given to tournament winners. While silver and gold versions exist, we haven’t seen them appear in auctions, although PSA lists four copies of the gold trophy print graded at PSA 8,9, and 10. A set of all three cards sold on auction for $480,000.
4. Black Star Ishihara Signed GX Promo Card – $247,230
Unlike most other cards on this list, the signed Black Star Ishihara GX card was printed in 2017. Printed to celebrate the Pokemon Company’s CEO’s 60th birthday, this unique card is the fourth most valuable promotional Pokemon card.
Employees who attended the CEO’s birthday party were given a card; between 30 and 60 copies are estimated to exist. The card features the CEO throwing a Master Ball while holding the Pokemon Rotom.
The card features a unique ability and move we won’t see on any card again. The ability, Red Chanchanko, prevents all effects of attacks (including damage) done to this “Pokemon.” The move requires you to “Flip 60 coins. For each heads, take a present!”
5. Kangaskhan Family Event Trophy – $150,100
Like Bronze Trophy Pikachu, this Kangaskhan card was awarded to participants at a unique 1998 TCG tournament. Only parent/child teams could enter, and only 45 copies are currently known to exist.
Teams who won games were awarded this card, which was never produced again. Fortunately, a few of these are in mint condition; a PSA 10 copy was sold in 2020 for $150,100. Lower grades have been sold for less than $100,000.
This card features the original Pocket Monsters design on the rear of the card and the logo on the right. It’s a playable Pokemon card, unlike most other promotional cards.
6. Pokemon Snap Magikarp Card – $125,000
This Magikarp card was given to winners of a Pokemon Snap competition in Japan. Contestants could send in a photo taken in the N64 game, and the ten best images would be turned into custom Pokemon cards. Only 20 of each card was printed, making this one of the rarest Pokemon cards on the market.
While some other promo cards regularly resurface since their release, this Magikarp card hadn’t been seen in over 20 years until it sold for $125,000 in 2022, marking the first time it was sold at an auction. This is also the only known PSA-graded copy.
Unfortunately, there is no evidence of the other 19 Magikarp’s existence today. The other contest-winning cards are also lost, although if they resurface, we expect them to reach similar prices as this lone Pokemon Snap Magikarp.
This card features identical stats to the Base Set Magikarp, meaning it was legal in TCG games.
7. 2006 World Championships Promo No. 2 – $110,100
This promotional card was given to the second-place finalist of the 2006 Pokemon World Championships. Following a similar design philosophy to the 1997 Bronze Trophy Pikachu card, this 2006 iteration features Pikachu holding a silver trophy on a holographic background.
This card sold for £110,100 in a 2006 public auction.
It’s the only known PSA-graded copy; another two ungraded copies are thought to exist. Until a mint condition No. 1 Trainer card surfaces, this will hold its place as the 7th most valuable promo Pokemon card.
The text on the card invites the winner to return to the 2007 World Championships, and the tournament logo is featured in the bottom right corner.
8. 1999 Secret Super Battle No. 1 Trainer – $90,000
An unusual twist on the usual No. 1 Trainer cards, the 1999 Secret Super Battle card was given to winners of a TCG tournament held in a secret location in Japan. Its unusual origins make this one of the rarest Pokemon cards in the world.
Winners of the regional competition were invited to this secret location to compete in the “Secret Super Battle.” This promotional card was given to these regional winners as both an entry ticket and a prize. The card’s artwork featured a shadowed Mewtwo, Pocket Monsters logo, and “Secret Super Battle” text.
Six of the seven printed cards were graded by PSA. A Grade 10 copy sold for $90,000 in 2020. Unusually for a card of this rarity and age, all six are PSA Grade 10.
9. Shogakukan Celadon University Magikarp Trophy – $66,100
Winners of a contest hosted by Shogakukan’s Magazines in 1998 were invited to a TCG tournament later that year. Winners of this contest received this unique Magikarp card. Due to its rarity, it’s one of the most valuable promo cards around.
Sold for $66,100 in 2021, a PSA 10 copy of this card fetches a high price amongst collectors. Unusually for a rare promotional card, this Magikarp card is a regular sight at auctions. Since 2017, eight copies of this card at various grades have changed hands.
The lowest grade recorded for this card (5) sold for $5,100 in 2020.
10. 2010 Pokemon World Championship Master’s Key – $66,000
Given to finalists of the 2010 Pokemon World Champion, Master’s Key rarity makes it one of the most valuable promotional cards, despite being printed later than most other cards on this list.
Each of the 36 contestants at the tournament received a card upon arrival at the venue in Hawaii. Unlike previous tournaments, everyone who competed received this card.
To get to this stage, players had to compete in Japan’s regional tournaments, beating thousands of others to earn this coveted spot. The winner of each regional tournament gained entry to the World Championship.
A PSA 9 copy of Master’s Key sold for $66,000 in 2020. A few copies of this card are still in circulation, although they rarely go up for auction.
