Unique occasion for European collectors to bid on a trophy card awarded to a TCG World Champion
Only around 15 of these cards from the 2018 TCG World Championship exist, with most never hitting the market
Valued at above €50,000 thanks to its rarity and exclusivity, ranking among the top 100 most expensive Pokémon Cards ever on the planet
Amsterdam, 5 December 2024 – Pikachu, we choose you! Get ready to bid on this extremely rare 2018 Pikachu Trophy Card from the Pokémon TCG World Championships. From December 6th to 21st, an exceptional Pokémon card will be up for auction on Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for special objects.
Trophy cards like this are the pinnacle of Pokémon card collecting, with only around 15 cards distributed each year. Featuring a unique design exclusive to the 2018 Championships, this card is part of a select series awarded only to the best players in the world. Each year, players battle through regional and national tournaments to finally rise to a global tournament where only three competitors emerge winners across five categories spanning trading cards and video games. Only very few of these trophy cards have been offered in the market since the TCG World Championship was reformatted in 2004, and almost never in Europe.
In the card-collecting world, rare and valuable cards are graded by leading companies to verify their condition and authenticity. This card is graded 9 out of 10 by Beckett—one of the most respected authorities—confirming its near-perfect condition. The combination of rarity and exceptional preservation has set the card’s estimated value at above the €50,000 mark. In 2023, for instance, the Pokémon card player Tord Reklev sold his own trophy card for £70,000. But that is far from being the highest amount ever paid for a Trophy Card. A set of Pokémon TCG Trophy Pikachu cards from the tournament’s first edition in 1997, still in its old format, sold for $800,000 in December last year.
“This card is a perfect example of what makes Pokémon collecting so extraordinary,” said Mickael Mole, Pokémon expert at Catawiki. “Pikachu is the most cherished Pokémon worldwide, and cards of this rarity are almost never seen in Europe. Owning a card of this caliber places you in an elite club of collectors.”
Pokémon on Catawiki
In 2023, Pokémon and trading cards emerged as Catawiki’s fastest-growing category, with a remarkable 140% increase in objects sold compared to 2022, more than doubling global sales year-over-year. Pokémon also proved to be a favorite in 2023, having registered the highest number of new bidders across all categories. Some remarkable Pokémon items previously sold on Catawiki:
- Wizards of The Coast - Pokémon - €19,000
- The Pokémon Company Sealed Box - €19,000
- WOTC Pokémon Complete Set - €16,750
- Pokémon - 1 Sealed box - €15,000
- Wizards of The Coast - Pokémon - Booster Box Pokémon 1st Edition - €10,500
Note to Editors
High resolution images of the Pokémon Trophy Card can be downloaded here.
About Catawiki
Catawiki is the leading online marketplace for special objects that fulfil people’s passions. Over 75,000 objects are offered in auction every week - each reviewed and selected by one of Catawiki’s hundreds of in-house experts specialised in Art, Design, Jewellery, Fashion, Classic Cars, Collectables and much more. Catawiki is headquartered in Amsterdam with over 750 employees across the world. Fulfil your passion on catawiki.com or download the app.
