I’m always saying that Raichu, the evolution of Pokémon’s mascot, is a constant target of disrespect from both The Pokémon Company and the community at large. Well, now some collectors with far more expendable cash than I’ll ever fathom are in a high-stakes bidding war to buy one of the electric mouse’s rarest cards. The fabled “Prerelease Raichu” card is up for auction, and the bids have already surpassed six figures.
For those that don’t know, the “Prerelease Raichu” card is the stuff of legend. According to reports dating back to the late ’90s, around 11 copies of the original Raichu card with “PRERELEASE” text stamped in the corner of the artwork were accidentally produced by Wizards of the Coast employees. These cards were mixed in with pre-release Clefable cards that were given out at events in the ’90s, and they were supposed to have been destroyed, though a few were supposedly saved by WOTC workers. Back in 2023, CGC Cards certified two of the Raichu cards, confirming that they were indeed legitimate. Now, one of these legendary cards is up for auction on Heritage Auctions, and as of this writing, its current bid is a whopping $135,000.
It’s certainly not the most money anyone’s ever paid for a Pokémon card, but it is a pretty cool piece of history that probably should go somewhere other than a WOTC employee’s attic. As of right now, only a couple of these rare misprints are accounted for. It’s entirely possible some of these Raichu cards have been lost or destroyed in the past 25 years, but at least someone might be able to save and preserve one of them. Someone with more money than I’ll probably see in this lifetime. What do you think it’s like to be so rich you can just drop six figures on a Pokémon card? At least it’s being spent on my underappreciated favorite. $135,000 isn’t nearly enough for you, Raichu. Someone raise the bid. Put your money where your mouth is.