One of the world’s rarest Pokemon Trading Card Game cards drew zero bids during a recent auction. The long-running Pokemon Trading Card Game has seen an increase in players and collectors in recent years, and dedicated fans are always on the lookout to see just how much their cards could be worth on the online market.
One of the most elusive and valuable Pokemon cards is “Illustrator Pikachu” which was offered as a contest prize for the Japan-exclusive CoroCoro Comic magazine during the early Pokemon boom period of the late 90s. Only 39 copies of the “Illustrator Pikachu” card were ever printed, one of which famously made it into the hands of streamer and current WWE superstar Logan Paul. Paul wore his copy of “Illustrator Pikachu” around his neck as a sort of good luck charm during his debut match at WrestleMania 38, which resulted in the card gaining even more notoriety and interest than ever before.
However, it looks like the shout-out from Logan Paul wasn't enough, as a copy of the "Illustrator Pikachu" Pokemon card failed to gain even a single bid during a recent auction. The card was being offered on eBay for nearly $500,000 a few weeks ago, and the auction site attempted to drum up interest through press releases. Alas, no users made an offer for the “Illustrator Pikachu” card during the initial auction period between February 24 and March 6. The PR firm representing the auction told Kotaku that the card may be re-listed someday.
It isn’t clear why the “Illustrator Pikachu” card failed to generate any bids, but it could likely be due to the overall market for old Pokemon cards cooling off in favor of new releases. Just a few weeks ago, Pokemon TCG revealed the first wave of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet cards, featuring the Paldean Starter Trio of Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Sprigatito. That isn’t to say that Pokemon TCG isn’t above looking back, as the retro-style Pokemon TCG Classic set will include old-fashioned versions of Charizard and Venusaur.
In the meantime, making money on rare and expensive Pokemon cards can be hit or miss, as evidenced by the ever-elusive “Illustrator Pikachu” failing to draw any bids during its latest auction. While there will certainly be future opportunities to sell this ultra-rare staple of the Pokemon Trading Card Game collector scene, only time will tell if anyone will come forward with the massive amount of cash the card is worth.
Source: Kotaku