The Wild Market for Illustration Rares – What’s Going On?

If you’ve been keeping up with the Pokémon TCG scene lately, you’ve probably noticed that Illustration Rare (IR) cards are the hot ticket right now. These beautifully designed full-art cards, first introduced in the Scarlet & Violet era, showcase Pokémon in their natural environments, often telling a mini-story through evolving stages. They’ve quickly become must-haves for collectors—but there’s one big challenge: grading them is a nightmare. 

Grading Struggles: Japanese vs. English Cards

Not all Illustration Rares are created equal—especially when it comes to quality control. If you’ve ever held a Japanese Pokémon card, you already know the difference. Japanese cards tend to have:  

✔ Sharper printing
✔ Smoother edges & cuts
✔ More vibrant holo patterns
✔ Fewer factory defects

This means that getting a PSA 10 on a Japanese Illustration Rare is way easier than on an English print. English cards, on the other hand? Rougher cuts, print lines, and off-centering issues make high grades much harder to come by. That’s exactly why PSA 10 English Illustration Rares can demand big money on the resale market.  

Fan-Favorite Illustration Rares That Are Exploding in Value

Some Illustration Rares have completely taken off in price, especially ones featuring fan-favorite Pokémon. Let’s take a look at a few that are causing a stir:  

🔥 Magikarp Illustration Rare – From Paldea Evolved, this beauty has become the most expensive IR in the set, currently sitting at $280.70 ungraded! 

🔥 Groudon Illustration Rare – From Paradox Rift, this legendary has shot up in price, averaging $101.61 raw and an insane $415 in a PSA 10!

🔥 Tyranitar Illustration Rare – This one’s been climbing steadily as one of the best-looking IRs yet. Prices vary, but it’s a sleeper hit that could rise even further.  

Final Thoughts: Should You Be Grading Illustration Rares?

If you’re thinking about grading IRs, be picky. Look for:  

✔ Centered borders
✔ No print lines (especially in the holo areas)  
✔ Sharp corners & clean edges

And if you’re hunting for a PSA 10? Japanese is the way to go. They’re just produced better, plain and simple.  

The hype around Illustration Rares doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon, so if you’re sitting on some big hitters, now might be a good time to cash in—or hold onto them for even bigger gains down the road.