Pokémon has been the source of many amazing cards over the years and some boast the most unique presentations you’ve ever seen. The Ishihara GX card is no different, giving Pokémon fans a representation of the CEO of The Pokémon Company on a card. The digital artwork of CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, which depicts him reaching for a masterball with Rotom on his side, was illustrated by Mike Cressy. Ishihara had his hand in elevating Pokémon to the status it has reached today through video games, anime, and especially the trading card game (TCG).
Collector’s Cache was the first eBay seller to put the card up for sale back in April 2019. The PSA 9 example sold for a whopping $12,900. During the second quarter of this year, a Pop 1 PSA Gem Mint 10 Ishihara GX card sold for $50,000, again on eBay through Collector’s Cache. The card currently has a total PSA Population of four, consisting of one PSA Near Mint-Mint 8, two PSA Mint 9 cards and one PSA Gem Mint 10.
According to Collector’s Cache’s General Manager Behman Zakeri, the card is believed to have a total print run of between 30 and 200, yet there is no definitive number. Zakeri disclosed that this was a card that was only obtained by select people at a private event celebrating Ishihara’s 60th birthday during the 2018 Pokémon Worlds in Nashville, Tennessee. He went around table to table thanking his guests, who consisted of employees, executives, and Pokemon affiliates, and shared the gift of the rare Ishihara GX card.
The number 60 references his birthday and can be found multiple times on the GX move, 60 Congratulations! It damages you for 1060HP with the added action of flipping a coin 60 times. It is an amazing card that celebrates an important individual of the beloved and continuously growing Pokémon franchise. An exclusive group of people own this card and an even more exclusive group have their hands on highly graded PSA copies of the Ishihara GX. Keep your eyes peeled.
