A 1997 Japanese Pokémon collectible has stunned the hobby after selling for more than $2.2 million — and it isn't a traditional Pokémon TCG card.
The Pokémon collectibles market has delivered another massive sale, but this time the spotlight is on one of the franchise's more unusual pieces of memorabilia.
A 1997 Japanese Pokémon CoroCoro Phone Card, commemorating CoroCoro Comic reaching two million copies, sold for an astonishing $2,255,000 on October 23, 2026. The collectible was graded PSA 10 Gem Mint and sold through Fanatics Buy Now.
The sale made the CoroCoro phone card the highest reported Pokémon-related sale of the week, beating several famous Pokémon TCG collectibles — including a PSA 10 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard that sold for $1.38 million the same day.
Not Your Typical Pokémon Card
What makes this sale particularly fascinating is that the item isn't a conventional Pokémon trading card.
The collectible is a Japanese telephone card from 1997, dating back to the early years of Pokémon's rise in Japan. It was created to celebrate CoroCoro Comic reaching two million copies, connecting the piece directly to the history of one of the publications that played an important role in Pokémon's early Japanese presence.
For collectors, that historical connection can be just as important as the card's artwork or rarity.
Unlike modern Pokémon TCG releases that are produced specifically for the trading-card market, vintage promotional and telephone cards offer a glimpse into how Pokémon was marketed and experienced during the franchise's formative years.
$2.255 Million vs. Charizard
The CoroCoro phone card didn't just make headlines because of its unusual format.
It also beat one of the most recognizable cards in the hobby.
A 1999 Base Set 1st Edition Shadowless Holo Charizard #4, graded PSA 10, sold for $1,380,000 through Fanatics Premier on October 23.
That means the CoroCoro phone card brought in approximately $875,000 more than the iconic Charizard.
The result demonstrates just how strong demand can be for extremely rare Pokémon collectibles with significant historical importance — even when they aren't part of the traditional Pokémon TCG.
Pokémon Dominates the Week's Biggest Sales
The CoroCoro phone card was part of an extraordinary week for Pokémon collecting.
The five largest reported Pokémon-related sales between October 17 and October 24 totaled approximately $5.353 million, with Pokémon taking all five positions in the ranking.
The reported top five were:
1997 CoroCoro Phone Card — PSA 10: $2,255,000
1999 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard — PSA 10: $1,380,000
2015 Art Academy Competition Pikachu — PSA 10: $660,000
2002 Legendary Collection Reverse Holo Charizard — PSA 10: $576,000
1997 Japanese Pokémon Phone Card featuring Misty — CGC 9: $482,000
Perhaps even more surprising, two of the five biggest sales were Japanese Pokémon telephone cards.
The CoroCoro card brought $2.255 million, while another 1997 Japanese phone card featuring Misty and other Pokémon characters reached $482,000. Together, the two telephone cards accounted for $2.737 million of the week's reported sales.
Why Is This Card So Valuable?
For Pokémon collectors, the appeal goes far beyond simply having Pikachu on a collectible.
The phone card comes from 1997, one of the most important periods in Pokémon history. The franchise was still establishing itself in Japan, and CoroCoro Comic was closely connected to Pokémon's early promotional history.
Add the unusual telephone-card format, the connection to the two-million-copy milestone, and a PSA 10 Gem Mint grade, and the result becomes an extremely unusual piece of Pokémon history.
At this level of collecting, rarity and historical significance can transform an obscure promotional item into a major trophy for serious collectors.
Another Record-Setting Moment for Pokémon Collecting
The $2.255 million sale is another reminder that the Pokémon collectibles market extends far beyond the cards most fans recognize from traditional booster packs.
While Charizard, Pikachu Illustrator and other famous TCG cards continue to command enormous prices, collectors are increasingly paying attention to obscure promotional items, Japanese releases and memorabilia connected to Pokémon's earliest years.
And this week, one of those overlooked pieces stole the spotlight.
A 1997 CoroCoro telephone card — not a traditional Pokémon TCG card — became the week's biggest Pokémon-related sale at $2.255 million.
For a piece of Pokémon history that many casual collectors may have never even heard of, that's an extraordinary result.
Sales figures are reported from Fanatics/Card Ladder sales data and should be considered reported market results rather than an independently audited auction record.
