24k solid gold Pokémon card sells at auction in Japan for $35,000
A recent auction of Japanese trading cards saw a 24-karat gold Pokémon card sell for over 5 million yen.
Heritage Auctions, an auction house specializing in collectibles, is holding a series of auctions focused on Japanese Trading Card Games.
This follows an increase in global interest in trading cards and significant increases in value with regard to Japanese trading cards.
The “Japanese Trading Card Game Showcase” series of auctions consists of four auctions held between April and December 2025, featuring carefully curated selections of rare and highly sought-after cards from popular franchises like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!.
The first auction of the series took place on April 17th and showcased an impressive array of items that highlighted the appeal and collectability of Japanese TCGs.
Among the standout lots were a pure 24-karat gold Pikachu card created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, rare Pokémon cards in exceptional condition, and early booster packs from the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game.
Three of the most valuable items sold were Pokémon cards.
Pokemon 20th Anniversary Pikachu 025 Japanese version 24K gold card (in original packaging)
The top sale of the auction was an ultra rare Pikachu card, which commanded a winning bid of $35,000, equivalent to approximately 5.25 million Japanese yen (based on current exchange rates).
This luxurious commemorative item was produced in 2016 by Tanaka Precious Metals of Japan to celebrate two decades of the Pokémon phenomenon, which originated with the release of the “Pokémon Red and Green” video games for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1996.
The 24K solid gold Pikachu card (weighing 11 grams) is an intricate recreation of the original Pikachu card and was a limited-edition item available only through a lottery sale.
The auctioned card was presented in its original packaging, complete with all accessories, and was noted to be in extremely good condition, drawing significant attention from avid collectors.
2010 Pokemon Card Game Resurrected Legends 024/080 Espeon BGS Black Label Pristine 10
Another high-value item sold was a rare Espeon card, which fetched a price of $2,375, or approximately 350,000 Japanese yen.
Espeon is one of the eight evolutions of the Pokémon Eevee. Espeon’s evolution occurs when Eevee’s friendship level with its trainer is high and it levels up during the day.
The auctioned Espeon card was graded a perfect Black Label Pristine 10 by Beckett Grading Services (BGS), meaning it received a perfect 10 in all sub-grades (centering, corners, edges, and surface condition).
Only four such Espeon cards from this set have ever received this top grade from BGS, highlighting its extreme rarity and pristine condition.
1996 Pokemon Card Game Base Set Blastoise PSA8 No Symbol
The value of early Pokémon cards was also demonstrated with the sale of a Blastoise card from the original release of the Pokémon TCG. This card had a winning bid of $2,250, approximately 330,000 Japanese yen.
Blastoise is the final evolution of Squirtle, one of the starter Pokémon in the original games.
The illustration for this Blastoise card was created by Ken Sugimori, a key art director for the Pokémon franchise.
This particular card is from the first printing of the base set, distinguished by the absence of a rarity symbol on the bottom right.
Only a limited number of these “No Symbol” Blastoise cards have been graded in near-mint to mint condition (NM-MT 8) or higher by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), further contributing to its desirability among collectors.
Heritage Auctions has announced that the schedule for the remaining sessions of the “Japanese Trading Card Game Showcase” series will be as follows:
- July 17th: Japanese Trading Card Games Showcase Auction #43225
- September 18th: Japanese Trading Card Games Showcase Auction #43226
- December 18th: Japanese Trading Card Games Showcase Auction #43227
The impressive prices achieved in the first auction, particularly the multi-million yen sale of the 24K gold Pikachu card, show the continued desirability of collectible trading cards amongst fans.
The upcoming auctions promise to feature more exceptional items, which will only increase the visibility and popularity of TCGs in the global collectibles market.
Source: Heritage Auctions
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