PSA 10JapanesePokemon Card 151 #173

Pikachu AR PSA 10

Pokemon Card 151 · Japanese Print · Card #173

Our Price

$157

Live US PSA 10 market

2 slabs available now

Buy Now — $157 See all 2 offers

Set

Pokemon Card 151

Number

#173

PSA Pop

—

Japanese name: ピカチュウ AR

Pikachu AR PSA 10 Gem Mint · sells at $157 USD · Pokemon Card 151. Cert-verified slab, sourced from Japan, ships SF Express HK + DHL worldwide.

2 PSA 10 Slabs Available

All slabs cert-verified. Payment held until we confirm your slab. SF Express 1-2 days (HK) · DHL Express 3-5 days international.

Japanese version

Primary

Japanese PSA 10 market

$157

Cert-verified PSA slabPayment held until confirmedSF Express 1-2 days (HK) · DHL 3-5 days international

Buy for $157

Card Background & Set Context

Pokemon Card 151 (sv2a) released 16 June 2023 with Pikachu #173 Art Rare as a central non-starter chase card. Illustrator credit is Saya Tsuruta — who also drew Charmander 168, Charmeleon 169, Gastly 125, and Ekans 107 in the set. Tsuruta's Pikachu treatment places him in Viridian Forest alongside Pidgey and Caterpie silhouettes — a direct callback to Pokemon Red/Blue Route 2 opening sequence. Pikachu's mainline TCG debut was 1996 Base Set (#58 Pikachu), making sv2a 173 the 27th-anniversary full-art tribute. Pokemon Company's policy of always including at least one Pikachu AR in flagship anniversary sets ensures steady supply cadence. Pokemon Center Japan issued 'Pikachu Binder 151' in September 2023 containing one fixed Pikachu AR #173 — this sealed-product distribution materially increased grading supply vs pure booster-pull supply. Pull rate for sv2a ARs is ~1:18 packs; Pikachu AR specifically via Pokemon Center binder increased aggregate PSA 10 submission volume ~15-20% above peer ARs in the set.

Investment Analysis

Price stack: raw $79, PSA 9 $84 (+6% grade lift, near zero), PSA 10 $365 (4.6x raw, 4.3x PSA 9). Same PSA 9 zero-premium pattern as other sv2a non-Charizard-line ARs. Grade EV: $79 raw + $25 PSA JP + $12 ship = $116 cost; at 42% gem rate → 42% × $365 + 53% × $84 + 5% × $35 = $199 EV, gross +$83 per submission. Positive EV but lower than Charmander/Charmeleon due to lower PSA 10 price ceiling. 30-day PSA 10 volume 148 = elite liquidity driven by evergreen Pikachu demand. Within-set Pokemon Center product pipeline: Pokemon Center binder distribution expanded Pikachu AR supply ~15-20% above peer sv2a ARs, which is why Pikachu 173 trades below starter ARs (Bulbasaur 166 $341, Charmander 168 $385) despite stronger Pokemon-franchise demand. Catalysts: (a) Pokemon 30th anniversary 2026 (Pokemon TCG 28 year + Pokemon Blue/Red 30 year), (b) Pokemon GO Pikachu costume rotation events, (c) Pokemon Anime Season 28 Pikachu focus episodes. 12-month target $400-440.

Risks to Watch

Pikachu AR 173 has balanced risk profile. Primary risk: Pokemon Company's Pikachu-product distribution policy — Pokemon Center sealed binders increase supply faster than other sv2a ARs; if Pokemon Center issues a sv2a 173 reprint binder 2026, PSA 10 supply could expand +20-25%. Second: pop inflation at ~200/quarter PSA Tokyo + highest sv2a volume = pop could cross 4,500 by end-2026. Third: Pokemon 30th anniversary 2026 upside could trigger supply response. Fourth: Counterfeit proliferation dampens unauthenticated supply trust. Fifth: JPY reversion trims 15%.

Global Market Comparison

PSA 10 · regional averages

Average PSA 10 sale price by region. All prices shown in USD.

Japan

$147

Our price

$365

Market (PSA 10)

$365

PSA Population

—

30d Volume

148

Raw

$79

PSA 9

$84

Price History (90 days)

Grade Price Spread

Grade	Price USD	Spread Vs PSA 10 %
Raw NM	79	-78.4
PSA 9	84	-77
PSA 10	365	0

Live prices in USD. Spread percentages relative to PSA 10 market.

Pikachu AR (Pokemon Card 151 sv2a 173) PSA 10 trades $365 USD with PSA 9 at $84 and raw NM/M at $79 — Pokemon's franchise mascot in sv2a full-art treatment. 148 PSA 10 sales in 30 days with 30 confirmed Snkrdunk JP transactions ($147 JP avg) make this one of the most-traded Pikachu cards of the Scarlet & Violet era. Pikachu's evergreen demand cycle + Pokemon GO + anime cross-media exposure sustain floor pricing above most sv2a non-starter ARs.

Card Background & Set Context

Investment Analysis

Japanese vs English & Variants

Japanese sv2a 173 Pikachu AR has EN counterpart: English Scarlet & Violet 151 #176 Pikachu Illustration Rare PSA 10 $220-270. JP ~35% premium (smaller than starter AR premiums due to larger JP Pikachu-product distribution). Within JP: Pokemon Center 'Pikachu Binder 151' contains sealed sv2a 173 — not a separate stamped variant but a distribution channel that materially affects supply economics. No Pokemon Center stamped Pikachu AR, no promo. Korean sv2a 173 $240-280 PSA 10. Cross-set Pikachu AR comparables: sv3pt5 EN 151 #171 Pikachu PSA 10 $220, sv2a 185 Pikachu ex SIR PSA 10 $680 (+86% for the ex-version full-art). sv2a 173 is the accessible Pikachu entry; 185 is the flagship.

Authentication & Cert Verification

Pikachu AR fakes are extremely common on AliExpress/Mercari JP due to universal recognition + active counterfeiter targeting. Authentication: (1) weight 1.78-1.82g. (2) Viridian Forest background uses 6-color blend (deep green → light green → cream); fakes show banded stripes. (3) Pidgey + Caterpie silhouettes in background have distinct holo etching; fakes omit or blur. (4) AR holo diagonal line pattern under 10x loupe. (5) 'AR' stamp silver foil embossing. (6) 'Saya Tsuruta' illustrator credit 4pt font. (7) Back-of-card prismatic blue Pokeball seal. (8) Card stock 0.30mm. PSA Tokyo has graded 2,000+ sv2a 173 as of Q2 2026 — highest sv2a AR grading volume due to Pikachu-specific demand.

Risks to Watch

Frequently Asked Questions

Background reading: general FAQ · how Poke10 sources · shipping & duties · all sets

What's PSA 10 price for Pikachu AR sv2a 173?

Pikachu AR Pokemon 151 (sv2a #173) PSA 10 trades $365 USD. Snkrdunk JP 30-day: 30 confirmed sales averaging $147.07, with 148 global PSA 10 transactions — highest-volume Pikachu AR in sv2a.

Why is Pikachu AR cheaper than starter ARs in sv2a?

Pokemon Center 'Pikachu Binder 151' distribution expanded Pikachu AR supply ~15-20% above peer sv2a ARs, pushing PSA 10 supply higher and price lower. Starter ARs (Bulbasaur 166, Charmander 168, Squirtle 170) don't have this sealed-binder distribution.

Who illustrated Pikachu AR sv2a 173?

Saya Tsuruta, who also drew sister Charmander 168, Charmeleon 169, Gastly 125, and Ekans 107. Her Pikachu in Viridian Forest with Pidgey/Caterpie silhouettes is a direct Pokemon Red/Blue Route 2 opening callback.

Is Pikachu AR 173 the same as Pikachu ex SIR 185?

No. sv2a 173 is Pikachu AR (regular Pikachu, standard full-art, ~$365). sv2a 185 is Pikachu ex SIR (Special Illustration Rare, ex-version with gold border + ex rule, ~$680). Pikachu ex SIR is the flagship Pikachu; AR is the accessible entry.

Should I grade raw Pikachu AR?

Positive EV: $79 raw + $37 grading/ship = $116 cost vs $199 EV at 42% gem rate = +$83 per submission. Smaller profit than Charmander +$107 or Charmeleon +$129 but still supports grading pipeline.

Is Japanese Pikachu AR worth more than English?

Yes. JP sv2a 173 at $365 trades ~35% above EN Scarlet & Violet 151 #176 ($220-270). Smaller premium than starter ARs due to larger JP Pikachu-product distribution offsetting JP premium.

How does Pokemon Center binder distribution affect Pikachu AR value?

Pokemon Center 'Pikachu Binder 151' (Sept 2023) contains one fixed Pikachu AR sv2a 173 per binder. This expanded grading supply ~15-20% above peer sv2a ARs, explaining Pikachu 173's $365 price below non-binder starter ARs ($341-475 range).

Will Pikachu AR 173 appreciate?

12-month target $400-440 contingent on Pokemon 30th anniversary 2026 + no Pokemon Center reprint binder. Downside: $330-360 if Pokemon Center issues additional sv2a 173 distribution. Balanced risk profile.

How many Pikachu AR 173 PSA 10 exist?

PSA population estimate ~4,000-4,500 as of Q2 2026, growing ~200 per quarter at PSA Tokyo — the highest-grading-volume sv2a AR due to Pikachu-specific demand. Pop crossing 5,500 by end-2026 is likely.

How do I spot fake Pikachu AR 173?

Weight (1.78-1.82g), Viridian Forest 6-color gradient (not banded), Pidgey/Caterpie silhouette holo etching, 'Saya Tsuruta' illustrator credit, AR diagonal line holo, silver foil 'AR' embossing, prismatic Pokeball back seal, 0.30mm card stock. PSA cert online required.

Is sv2a 173 Pikachu playable in Standard?

Yes, legal as basic Electric-type. Not competitive — Pokemon competitive meta uses Pikachu ex variants (sv8 033, sm9 031 TAG), not basic Pikachu. Market value is collector-driven.

What's Pokemon 30th anniversary impact on sv2a 173?

Pokemon 30th anniversary celebration 2026 (Red/Blue 30-year) focuses on Pikachu as franchise mascot. Expected promotional tie-ins (events, products, anime spotlights) could drive +15-25% price spike in H1 2026 before settling.