Collectors of anything are always on the look out for that special item, almost the holy grail in their field and as such, many are willing to pay handsomely to get their hands on such a rarity. This is certainly true with regards to trading card collectors and more specifically, those that focus on ultra rare Pokemon cards.
Many people collected these funny little cards from childhood and may even retain boxes of them in their attic, or garage; but unfortunately, the chances are that these are just standard issue and of no significant value. There are differing rarities among the cards, with some far more rare than others. These are often identified by the art and a unique number, which usually surpasses the accepted print sequence.
The really ultra rare Pokemon cards are exactly that, so rare that their value can astonishingly escalate up into the hundreds of thousands. These can be promotional releases, or tournament and event cards from past decades, of which possibly only a handful were ever created. First editions tend to be the ones in the rare category and identification of those with some potential, can be started by spotting the first edition stamp, which is displayed as a number one inside a black circle. Then as an addition, seek out the symbols in the bottom right hand corners, with three stars indicating a form of rarity.
The card often thought to be the rarest of all time is said to be No.1 Trainer, with only 7 copies understood to be in existence. It is a promotional holographic version, awarded in Tokyo at the end of the 1990’s. A shadow-less holographic first edition known as Charizard is believed to be the second most sought-after card. Its uniqueness is actually down to a printing error, that was corrected almost immediately, with just a small number filtering through to circulation.
Another incredibly rare card is known as Pikachu Illustrator, with only 41 ever created. Additionally, it is the only Pokemon card with the wording “Illustrator” on it rather than “Trainer”. The immense popularity of the character Pikachu prompted the creation a 20th Anniversary 24-karat gold version, which were limited editions that were offered to a select few for over 200,000 yen, so their value will be ridiculous.
The most controversial of all cards ever to have been printed has to be the Pre-release Raichu. This card was another that was printed in error and immediately destroyed, with just 10 copies escaping and being given to the staff of the manufacturers. Its existence has never had confirmation, but it is believed that should one surface and be sold, it would very probably break all records.
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