Incredibly Valuable Pokémon Card Just Became The First Of Its Kind

Published Oct 8, 2026, 3:00 AM EDT

Austin King is the Senior Editor of Gaming at ScreenRant and has been with the site since 2020 with a focus on RPGs and tabletop games. He previously managed content for Geek to Geek Media, and has served as a writer for sites like Nintendad, Geek Fitness, and more.

In addition to his work at ScreenRant, he also hosts the Dragon Quest FM podcast and is the author of several books, including co-writing Nimbus (a #1 bestseller in 2013). His latest is the nonfiction The Dragon Quest Book, available now.

He's written about pop culture, video games, and genre studies over the course of his career. You can find him on BlueSky, X, and at Dragonquestaustin.com

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The Pokémon Trading Card Game has had its fair share of valuable cards. This week alone saw one Pikachu card net $1 million at a 30th anniversary auction. Now, thanks to a recent PR stunt, it looks like a couple of cards have become the first of their kind. And one of them is actually worth a lot of money already.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game has been revealing a lot of firsts lately. Just last week, we learned that 2027 will see the first-ever Pokémon TCG set themed around Valentine's Day in January. This comes after new rarities and gimmicks arrived in 2026. And as the TCG continues to expand, it looks like Pokémon is continuing to find ways to keep fans enticed. This latest reveal, though, is a bit... out of this world.

"We can confirm, these cards are out of this world," revealed the official Pokémon account on X. The post goes on to say that astronaut Sophie Adenot brought cards aboard the International Space Station to celebrate World Space Week. Alongside the post, there are a number of photos showing off the cards floating with Earth in the background: a Minior and Pikachu ex Special Illustration Rare.

The company also revealed a Pikachu plush came into space, but given the popularity of the Pokémon TCG, the cards are where most people's attention went. This marks the first time any Pokémon cards have been brought into space, marking a pretty cool milestone for the ever-popular franchise.

The Pikachu ex card from Surging Sparks is one of the more valuable cards in recent memory. It was the most valuable Surging Sparks card at launch, regularly selling for $300+. The price has dipped slightly, but TCGPlayer still has the Market Price at around $283. Numbered 238/191, this Special Illustration Rare is worth a good bit of money if you own it.

Considering a Pikachu ex card has officially gone to outer space now, expect the value of that unique card to be astronomical. Right now, a number of merchandise related to this collaboration between Pokémon and the European Space Agency can be found on the Pokémon Center storefront. Nothing really comes close to this SIR Pikachu from the Pokémon Trading Card Game, though.