Rarest Pikachu Cards

Pikachu is the face of Pokemon and hundreds of different cards have been produced. In actual gameplay, Pikachu cards traditionally function as low-HP basics with Thunder Shock-style attacks that can Paralyze, or as setup pieces that evolve into Raichu. Competitive peaks came from Lightning-type engines that sometimes featured Pikachu as part of broader strategies, most famously Pikachu & Zekrom-GX decks, which were sold decks with explosive energy acceleration and Tag Team power.

The right way to think of the rarest Pikachu cards is to make a distinction between those that were part of the game and could be found in retail shelves versus those that were special promotions. The special promotion cards are the rarest, but are not the cards that a casual fan might have siting in a binder or box or cards in their basement. The rarest retail cards come from the earlier days of the hobby, while the rarest special cards come from a famous 2015 competition or were cards given out only at a convention and have a special stamp on them. We cover the two rarest retail cards as well as the rarest non-retail card below.

Here at Remarkable Artworks we think value is in the eye of the beholder and the greatest value you can get from your cards is to appreciate them in our unique display solution. If you want to learn more about the display, click below.

2006 Pokemon EX Holon Phantoms #104 Pikachu-Holo Gold Star

If you are looking for the rarest card that was available in retail packs, then the 2006 EX Holon is the clear winner. The EX set is rare, and the holographic, gold star versions are the rarest of the set. By far the rarest and most valuable Pikachu card that could be sitting in someone’s closest. Great image of a super-hero esq Pikachu with arms folded in a superman-like pose.

1999 Base set #58 Pikachu-1st Edition Red Cheeks

There are a couple version of this card, but the key to this card is the “Edition 1,” which were printed in limited quantities. The card was also printed with Pikachu without the red cheeks, but that was more readily available. As the oldest Pikachu card and the card before any Pokemania, this card is also particularly hard to find in great condition. While Charizard is the unquestioned king of Pokemon for collectors, Pikachu is the face of the franchise and the most known to the general public.

2015 Art Academy Contest Winner - Pikachu, Illustrated by Ashley

There are a bunch of cards that were never available in retail that are rare, but they are not Pokemon game cards. The rarest and most sought after comes from the 2015 Pokémon Art Academy Competition, which was a global creative contest inviting players to design their own Pokémon Trading Card Game artwork. Thousands of entries were submitted worldwide, but only twelve winners were selected. Each of the twelve are super-rare, but Ashley’s Pikachu artwork is the most coveted as it was chosen among the twelve winning entries in the 2015 Pokémon Art Academy Competition. The artist received 100 printed copies, distributed privately and never publicly released.