Pikachu 040/128 has fallen from a roughly $49 presale market reference to about $4 after release.
Market Brief
- Asset: Pikachu 040/128, Near Mint Holofoil, from 30th Celebration.
- Observed market: TCGplayer market price $4.00, with its most recent completed sale at $3.70.
- What changed: Presale market pricing near $49 reset to about $4 by September 30 after the September 16 release.
- Possible drivers: Possible factors include broad pack supply, Pikachu demand, and collector interest in Shinji Kanda artwork.
Market Snapshot
The snapshot below uses TCGplayer’s English Near Mint Holofoil page for Pikachu 040/128. The comparison starts with a presale market reference near $49 and ends with the live market on September 30. That distinction matters. The earlier figure came from the presale market, while the current price is being established after the set has reached collectors and substantially more transaction data is available.
TCGplayer currently lists a $4.00 market price and a $3.70 most recent completed sale. Its one month snapshot shows 4,140 total sold and an average of 134 sold per day. The same page displayed 245 listings with asking prices beginning at $3.93, while its price panel reported 658 current quantity across 248 sellers. Those measurements describe different parts of the marketplace, but together they show an actively traded card with substantial current availability.
The supply context starts with the structure of 30th Celebration itself. Pokémon confirms that every booster pack contains one of 30 different Pikachu rare cards. That does not tell us the individual pull rate for Pikachu 040/128, so it would be a mistake to call this specific card common based on that fact alone. It does mean Pikachu cards are intentionally flowing out of every opened pack.
There is another reason this particular Pikachu deserves attention. The illustrator is Shinji Kanda, an artist who has developed a notable following among modern collectors. Pokémon highlighted Kanda’s Magikarp from Paldea Evolved for its wild composition, heavy contrast, bursts of color, and sketch like linework. TCGplayer has also repeatedly discussed collector interest in Kanda cards, with Giratina V, Magikarp, and Roaring Moon ex among the prominent examples.
That artist recognition is relevant, but it needs to stay in its lane. The available data does not prove that buyers are purchasing Pikachu 040/128 because Kanda illustrated it. Pikachu itself, the anniversary theme, set completion, and ordinary early release activity can all contribute to transactions. What Kanda adds is another established collector angle that separates 040/128 from being simply one more Pikachu in the set.
Data checked: September 30, 2026, around 10 PM Central Time. Market prices, listings, and availability may change after publication.
| Comparison period | Presale period before September 16, 2026 to September 30, 2026. |
| Observed price movement | $49.00 presale market reference to $4.00 current market price, down about 91.8 percent. |
| Sales activity | 4,140 total sold in TCGplayer’s one month snapshot, averaging 134 sales per day. |
| Active availability | 245 listings with Near Mint Holofoil asking prices beginning at $3.93. |
“Each 30th Celebration booster pack is set to include five foil cards (including one of 30 unique illustrations of Pikachu)”
The Pokémon Company International
What We’re Watching
The first major pricing reset has already happened. The more useful question now is what the market looks like once the launch rush fades and additional 30th Celebration products put more packs in front of collectors.
- Supply: Watch whether current availability remains broad as more product is opened. The guaranteed Pikachu slot matters, but the individual distribution of 040/128 is still not established.
- Demand: Continued completed sales near the current market range would show buyers consistently accepting the newer price level. A growing gap between asking prices and completed sales would suggest a less settled market.
- Catalysts: More 30th Celebration products are already scheduled. Booster Bundles and Mini Tins arrive October 2, followed by several November 6 products including the Ultra Premium Collection with 29 standard booster packs.
- Risk factors: The $49 baseline comes from the presale market, the current market is still young, and the one month sales window can include activity from before release. Artist recognition is also difficult to separate from broader Pikachu and anniversary demand.
FoilWire Market Read
The 91.8 percent decline is dramatic, but the bigger story is what changed around it. Pikachu 040/128 started near $49 before release, when there was very little market history. Two weeks later, far more transactions are happening around $4. That makes the current price a much stronger read on where buyers and sellers are actually meeting.
Collectors have not ignored the card either. TCGplayer shows thousands of transactions in its one month window. The activity is there. It is simply happening at a much lower price.
Shinji Kanda adds another layer. His distinctive artwork has built a strong following among modern Pokémon TCG collectors, with several of his cards becoming notable collector pieces. Pairing Kanda with Pikachu during the 30th anniversary gives 040/128 an obvious appeal beyond the set itself.
But artist popularity does not erase supply. Every 30th Celebration pack contains a Pikachu, and more product is still scheduled. Kanda gives this card another reason to stand out, not automatic scarcity.
That is the clearest read right now. The early price collapsed, the card is still selling, supply is broad, and Kanda gives this Pikachu something extra. What happens after the launch period should be far more informative than where it started.
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Market Note
Market data represents a snapshot of the sources reviewed for this article and may not reflect every private sale, marketplace, geographic region, condition, grade, fee, shipping cost, tax, or transaction occurring in the broader collectible market. Asking prices are not completed sales, individual transactions may be outliers, and limited sales volume can make collectible pricing especially difficult to interpret.
Sources
- TCGplayer: Pikachu 040/128 from 30th Celebration
- TCGplayer: 30th Celebration Price Guide
- Pokémon: Look at Electrifying Pikachu Cards from 30th Celebration
- Pokémon: 30th Celebration Product Showcase
- Pokémon: Paldea Evolved Illustration Rare Cards
- TCGplayer: The 26 Cards Everybody Wants from Prismatic Evolutions
Disclaimer
FoilWire Market Watch is published for informational, editorial, and entertainment purposes only. Nothing in this article constitutes financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice, nor should anything published here be understood as a recommendation, solicitation, endorsement, or instruction to buy, sell, hold, grade, trade, or otherwise transact in any trading card, sealed product, collectible, or related asset. Collectible markets may be volatile, illiquid, condition-sensitive, and difficult to value, and available sales or listing data may be incomplete, delayed, inconsistent, or subject to rapid change. Historical prices, prior demand, scarcity, grading populations, and past market activity do not guarantee future performance or future value. Readers should independently evaluate the information, risks, costs, authenticity, condition, liquidity, and suitability of any collectible before making their own decisions.
