"Raincoat Pikachu" Becomes the Second Most Expensive ‘Pokémon’ Card Ever at $8.4 Million USD

A pristine, PSA 10 Gem Mint copy of the 2015 Japanese XY Promo Art Academy Fujishima Pikachu, affectionately known by collectors as "Raincoat Pikachu," has achieved a staggering $8.4 million USD sale price, including the buyer's premium. The transaction, which concluded on September 28th on the Fanatics Collect platform, saw the card attract 64 bids, positioning it as the second most valuable Pokémon card ever recorded. This extraordinary valuation is directly attributable to the card's exceptional scarcity and unique origin. It was not a mass-produced item found in retail packs or boxes. Instead, the "Raincoat Pikachu" was exclusively created as a prize for the winner of a worldwide fan art contest tied to Nintendo's 3DS game, Pokémon Art Academy. The winning artist, Y. Fujishima, was awarded a limited print run of only 100 officially produced copies of his "Dress-Up Pikachu" design. This inherently restricted supply, fixed at 100 units from its inception, forms the bedrock of its immense desirability. The artwork itself offers a charming deviation from the franchise's typical battle-centric imagery. Fujishima's design features Pikachu clad in a distinctive red slicker, holding an umbrella, presenting a softer, storybook aesthetic. The card's perfect PSA 10 Gem Mint grade, the highest possible assessment from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)—a leading third-party grading service renowned for its rigorous authentication and condition evaluation of trading cards—further amplifies its appeal. The confluence of this flawless grade and the card's ultra-limited mintage has evidently ignited an intense bidding war. The meteoric rise in the "Raincoat Pikachu's" value is starkly illustrated by its recent sales history on the very same platform. As recently as July 2024, a PSA 10 copy transacted for $12,600 USD, and in June 2025, another achieved $19,200 USD. The current $8.4 million sale represents an astonishing increase of approximately 440 times the June 2025 price, accomplished within a remarkably short span of about 15 months. This record-breaking sale underscores a broader trend of escalating prices within the Pokémon trading card market, with Pikachu-themed cards consistently at the forefront of this surge. For context, just the week prior to the "Raincoat Pikachu" sale, a PSA 10 2002 Legendary Collection reverse holo Pikachu commanded $780,000 USD, a significant leap from its $264,000 USD valuation in June. Similarly, a PSA 10 2006 Holon Phantoms Gold Star Pikachu card reached $480,000 USD, up from $148,800 USD. These figures collectively highlight the immense value placed on rarity, condition, and iconic characters within the burgeoning collectibles market.