An incredibly rare Pokemon trading card depicting the President of The Pokemon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara, has sold at auction for over $240,000, becoming one of the most expensive cards ever.

For years, Pokemon fans have been urged to check their attic, basement, and even behind the sofa for any old trading cards they may have lying around, as some of them can be worth a ridiculous amount of money at auction.

But this is one card you definitely won’t stumble across in your old collection; A signed copy of the incredibly rare Tsunekazu Ishihara Pokemon GX Promo Card has sold at auction on April 24, 2021, for a staggering $247,230.

The card was sold through Goldin Auctions. Bidding began at just $500, and reached the impressive final sale price after 31 bids, proving how in-demand this card truly is.

Why is the Ishihara Pokemon trading card so rare?

This trading card is certainly an unusual one, as the artwork depicts none other than CEO and President of the Pokemon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara, alongside Rotom and a Master Ball. It was supposedly given out to employees at the executive’s 60th birthday in 2017.

The card is an Ultra Beast with 350 HP and the ability Red Chanchanko, which prevents all effects of attacks (including damage), Abilities, and Trainer cards done to the Pokemon. Meanwhile, the move 60 Congratulations deals 1060 damage and lets you flip a coin 60 times.

The majority of expensive Pokemon trading cards originate from the late 1990s or early 2000s, such as the elusive Charizard and Birthday Pikachu, so it’s especially odd to see a Pokemon card from only a few years ago become one of the most lucrative ever.

However, when you consider that only an estimated 30 to 60 of the Ishihara GX cards exist – not to mention the fact that this is a signed copy – it becomes a little easier to see why this card commanded such a high price at auction.

A copy of the same card sold at auction back in 2020 for $50,000, which is still insanely high but obviously nothing compared to this latest sale. Again, that may have a little something to do with Ishihara’s signature.

This card now joins the elite league as one of the most expensive Pokemon trading cards in history, falling behind a rare Illustrator card that sold for $250,000 and a Charizard 1st Edition that sold for over $350,000.

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