So theyre not expensive to pick up these days, despite their age
Each pack contains 11 1st edition corresponding cards
If youre in a deck with access to more colors, however, then the card becomes a much stronger proposition
Key facts: Artwork by Atsuko Nishida , the original designer of Pikachu Classified as a Trainer card , not a Pokmon card, adding to its oddity Credited with "Illus." in the illustrator field rather than a name, an intentional callback to the contest winners Approximately 41 copies were officially distributed (39 to contest winners, plus 2 additional copies that surfaced in 2019 from Yuichi Konno, one of the original TCG rule designers) As of early 2026, PSA has graded 44 total copies , suggesting a few more have entered circulation The $16.49 million sale In April 2022 , YouTuber Logan Paul acquired the only PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator in existence through a private sale, trading his own PSA 9 copy plus roughly $4 million in cash, for a combined value around $5.275 million
Waterbenders Restoration is an option I like quite a bit