Pokemon Card Sells for Record $16.49M

MarketDeep Dive into the Value and Market Resilience of Pokémon Physical Cards Amid the Rise of Digital Collectibles

While veteran collectors worry that the convenience of digital cards might impact the scarcity perception and pricing mechanism of physical cards, the market reality shows that physical cards remain resilient. On February 16, 2026, a 1998 Illustrator Pikachu card sold for $16.492 million at a professional auction, setting a new high for similar items.