It’s not an opinion, but a fact that Pokémon cards can go for a lot of money. Shadowless Charizard is a classic card that typically pops up and sells for megabucks, while even modern hits like Umbreon VMAX Alt Art are hitting $2,000. Even among that company, the Pokémon Trainer No. 3 Pikachu is a super rare, high value card any moneybags investor would salivate over – but seeing a copy go up for sale on eBay recently, at a list price of $2 million, made me spit out my coffee.
Especially rare Pokémon cards can sell for incredible amounts of cash, especially when they feature the cutest Pokémon around. And everyone’s favorite little yellow electric mouse, Pikachu, features in several of the most valuable cards on the planet.
YouTube celeb Logan Paul famously spent over $5 million on a copy of the near-mythically rare Pikachu Illustrator in 2021, the largest sum ever spent on a Pokémon card. And there’s no doubt the Trophy Pikachu No. 3 Trainer, a promo card made for Japanese tournaments in 1997-1999 and reportedly limited to only four copies, is exceedingly rare, and well into the “new house” price band.
Back in 2023, a copy of No. 3 Trainer in PSA 10 – the best possible condition grade – sold for $324,000, making it the 7th most valuable card of all time. And we haven’t seen a copy up for sale since, until a recent eBay listing appeared, offering a PSA 8 graded version for some pocket change – if you have giant pockets that can hold $2,000,000 / £1,606,000 worth of change, that is.
While it is an extraordinarily rare card, if you’re considering spending the inheritance money from your oil baron uncle on this No.3 Trainer Pikachu, I suggest holding your horses (or your Ponyta, whichever you prefer). Even the best Pokémon cards for rich folks to invest in typically land between the $100,000 and $500,000 range; the second biggest sale ever, the Topsun Charizard Blue Back, only came to a comparative bargain at $493,230.
Doubtless Logan Paul’s headline grabbing Illustrator Pikachu purchase warmed his nerdy heart, but even his fellow moneybags mega-collectors raised eyebrows at the fact he shelled out ten times as much as had ever been spent on a single Pokémon card at the time.
If you’re going to pay $2 million – four times the previous highest price for a No.3 Trainer ‘Chu, and around the cost of an entry level private jet – you’d better really like that sparkly background and cute little trophy.
Of course, like most collector’s items, the value is up to individuals to decide – especially with how few of these cards remain. However, there are plenty of excellent Pikachu cards you can find on both eBay US and eBay UK, that don’t cost as much as a plane and still offer some great artwork.
In fact, considering how many cards are printed today compared to the 1990s, some of the best Pikachu cards from the modern era are a lot cheaper than even normal-people rares from older Pokémon sets.
Hell, it’s easier than getting your hands on packs from Prismatic Evolutions – the newest Pokemon set – at a decent price.
If you need a refresher on all the other ‘mons around these days, we can remind you with our guide answering the eternal question: how many Pokemon are there in 2025? And make sure to follow Wargamer on Google News, so you can keep up-to-date with the latest Pokémon TCG news, including deals you won’t want to miss.
Source: Wargamer
