The Pokémon Illustrator Card is one of the rarest and most valuable Pokémon cards ever made. It was originally awarded in 1997 and 1998 to winners of the Pokémon Card Game Illustration Contest held by the Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic. Only 39 copies were officially distributed, and fewer than 20 are believed to still exist today.
The card features artwork by Atsuko Nishida, the original illustrator of Pikachu, showing Pikachu holding a paintbrush while surrounded by colorful art tools. The card's text identifies the holder as an "Official Certified Pokémon Card Illustrator", making it the only card with the "Illustrator" title instead of the usual "Trainer" or
"Pokémon" label.
Because of its extreme rarity and historical significance, the Pokémon Illustrator card is often referred to as the
"Holy Grail" of Pokémon cards. High-grade copies have sold for millions of dollars, with record-breaking auctions reaching over $5 million USD, notably when purchased by YouTuber Logan Paul in 2021.