Someone paid $195,000 for a Pokemon card
"Pikachu Illustrator" is apparently the most expensive Pokemon card in the world.
Even Detective Pikachu is amazed at that price.
Turns out catching 'em all can be a pricey endeavor, especially with Pokemon fever growing as the release of Sword and Shield draws near. A single Pokemon card sold for $195,000 last week, making "Pikachu Illustrator" the most expensive one in existence, according to Kotaku.
"Pikachu Illustrator" sold for $195,000.
This card was never sold in packs like regular ones, but awarded to the winners of a Japanese comic contest in 1998, the auction noted. Only 39 were released, and 10 of those are believed to still exist. The artwork, by Pikachu creator Atsuko Nishida, is pretty delightful.
The buyer actually paid $224,500 for the card -- Weiss Auctions added a 15% buyer's premium to the winning bid, the auction house confirmed via email.
It actually makes the August's $107,000 Pokemon card auction -- for a first-edition set of the first ones printed in English back in 1999 -- look like a steal. And let's not forget about the card that got lost in the mail after selling for $60,000.
If you're looking to express your Pokemania without having to take out a loan, you could get to London and check out the popup Pokemon Center. Or just pick up Sword and Shield when it hits Nintendo Switch on Nov. 15.
Originally published Oct. 28, 8:52 a.m. PT.
Update, 11 a.m. PT: Notes buyer's premium.