A Blastoise Pokémon card sold for $360K at auction

In case you weren’t already aware, there was an auction back in mid-January that’s had a significant impact on the entire Pokémon market! On January 14th, CGC Trading Cards streamed the auction/bidding process of one special card. That card was a holographic Blastoise that’s so rare that it’s believed to be the only one still left in existence. We’ll talk a little bit more about that later on.

The hammer came down once a bidder (who remains anonymous) put in an offer of $360,000 dollars. SOLD! And at that moment, a small shift took place, making this Blastoise the 2nd highest selling English Pokémon card to date. The only other card to sell for more was an ultra-rare 1st edition Charizard that sold for $369,000 back in December 2020.

So, what’s up with this card? What makes it so rare that someone would pay $360K for it? Well, the story behind how this Blastoise made it into circulation is even more impressive than the price. Let’s take a closer look at it.

This holographic Blastoise was actually a part of a short-lived marketing promotion that took place back in 1998, which showed what an English Pokémon card would look like. Wizards of the Coast created only two versions of this card. The first, and only one known to still exist, was a test printing that was shown off at card shops. The location and existence of the other card is still a mystery, even to Wizards of the Coast. 

Besides the language and font that was printed on it, this Blastoise has another rare feature/marking (or lack thereof) that sets it apart from all of the rest that came after it. The card has a blank space where the famous Pokémon logo is supposed to be, but with its absence, this Blastoise is identified as being one-sided. Both cards share this same unique feature, which again, makes them easy to identify and differentiate from the others. If the other card is out there, it will share the same look as its twin. Sounds like something out of a movie, right?

Just like a golden ticket, that other card can be literally ANYWHERE. I’m thinking that because of the way it looked, someone paid it no mind or put it aside and now it’s locked away in a dark attic, shed or basement. It’s possible the person who has it doesn’t even realize it either. Or maybe someone from Wizards of the Coast picked it up and is waiting for it to appreciate even more so they can make a killing at a later auction. I don’t know, the possibilities are endless. I’ll be sure to keep my eyes and ears open in the meantime!

Until we meet again,

Vince the Prince