Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — how many are there and what are they worth?

Q: How many Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are there?

There are 222 Special Illustration Rare cards in this archive, and 222 of them carry a price. Rarity is the grade recorded with each card in the card files this site reads. Every English card carries one, so the archive splits into rarity tiers without anything left over.

Q: How much is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

The typical one costs $37.69 . Across the 222 priced cards the range runs from $2.82 to $1,499.24, so the group price is a starting point rather than a valuation of any one card.

Q: What is the most expensive Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

Umbreon ex 161 from Prismatic Evolutions, at $1,499.24. It is 40× the typical price of the group.

Q: Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards rare?

By price they rank No. 4 of 29 rarity tiers , with 25 cheaper than this one. By size the group holds 222 of the 20,444 English cards on file, or 1.1%. Those two together are what "rare" usually means in practice — few of them, and dear because of it.

There are 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, 222 of them with a price, and the typical one costs $37.69.

Rarity · 222 cards · 222 with a price · $2.82 to $1,499.24 · read August 14, 2026

How much is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

The typical Special Illustration Rare card costs $37.69. Across the 222 of them that carry a price, the cheapest is $2.82 and the dearest is $1,499.24 — Umbreon ex 161, at $1,499.24. That spread is why the group price is a starting point and not a valuation of any one card.

Card facts are read from openly published card files; prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026.

All rarity tiers Print variant Pokédex number Regulation mark Energy type Set Artist Evolution stage Card mechanic Attack cost Attack damage Retreat cost

Special Illustration Rare 222 cardsRarity

222 with a price · $2.82 to $1,499.24 · No. 4 of 29 rarity tiers by typical price · +29.3% in 11 months · 265 HP on average · weak to Fighting

Typical price, last 11 months$37.69+29.3% from $29.16

Card price ladder$1,499.24$94.17 to $1,499.24

Place among rarity tiersNo. 4CheapestMiddleDearestTypical price $37.69 · No. 4 of 29
25 rarity tiers cost less than this one

Cards on file222222 carry a price Most expensive card$1,499.24Umbreon ex 161 Cheapest on record$2.82across all 222 priced cards Price rose+29.3%over the last 11 months Place by priceNo. 4of 29 rarity tiers

What stands out about Special Illustration Rare cards

Scale 222 cards carry this rarity tier — 1.1% of the 20,444 English cards on file.
Price Half of the priced cards cost under $37.69, but the dearest reaches $1,499.24 — a gap of 40×.
Place By typical price this is No. 4 of 29 rarity tiers; 25 of them cost less.
Record 222 of the 222 cards have a price on file. The rest are counted but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

How 20,444 English cards narrow down to these 222

Full bar = that step's denominator · filled = what carries over

English cards on file 20,44420,049 cardsonly cards that record a rarity remain · 98.1% of 20,444
Cards with a rarity 20,049222 cardsonly Special Illustration Rare remain · 1.1% of 20,049
The 222 cards on this page222 cards1.1% of every English card on file

The middle step counts every card that records a rarity, including rarity tiers too small to have a page of their own. That is why its figure is larger than the totals on the rarity list, which only counts the groups it can open.

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards at a glance

What this group is. 222 cards share the rarity tier Special Illustration Rare. Rarity is the grade recorded with each card in the card files this site reads. Every English card carries one, so the archive splits into rarity tiers without anything left over.
What they cost. The typical card is $37.69. Across the 222 priced cards the range runs $2.82 to $1,499.24.
Where it stands. No. 4 of 29 rarity tiers by typical price, with 25 of them cheaper.
What the cards are like. They average 265 HP and 161 maximum damage, and are most often weak to Fighting.
What is listed below. The 50 most expensive of the 222 cards that carry a price, each with its own price page. Cards without a price are counted in the total but are not listed.
When it was read. Every figure on this page comes from the archive as it stood on August 14, 2026.

Source: Counted from 222 cards on file, 222 of them with a price

Every Special Illustration Rare card with a price on file

The 50 dearest Special Illustration Rare cards on file are laid out below, first as pictures and then as a list you can read straight down.

The 50 dearest Special Illustration Rare cards, most expensive first.

50 cards, most expensive firstGroup1 2

Group 1 · $1,499.24 down to $208.001–25 of 50, by price

1Umbreon exPrismatic Evolutions #161$1,499.24Special Illustration Rare

2Mega Gengar exAscended Heroes #284$1,098.16Special Illustration Rare

3Pikachu exAscended Heroes #276$1,074.26Special Illustration Rare

4Mew exPaldean Fates #232$1,013.78Special Illustration Rare

5Mega Dragonite exAscended Heroes #290$702.36Special Illustration Rare

Show the other 20 cards in this group6–25 of 50+20

6Mega Charizard X exPhantasmal Flames #125$701.35Special Illustration Rare

7Sylveon exPrismatic Evolutions #156$509.52Special Illustration Rare

8Team Rocket's Mewtwo exDestined Rivals #231$505.43Special Illustration Rare

9Pikachu exAscended Heroes #277$380.75Special Illustration Rare

10Greninja exTwilight Masquerade #214$373.57Special Illustration Rare

11Charizard ex151 #199$372.36Special Illustration Rare

12Team Rocket's Mewtwo exAscended Heroes #281$365.84Special Illustration Rare

13Leafeon exPrismatic Evolutions #144$337.13Special Illustration Rare

14Espeon exPrismatic Evolutions #155$318.05Special Illustration Rare

15Vaporeon exPrismatic Evolutions #149$300.41Special Illustration Rare

16Pikachu exSurging Sparks #238$293.55Special Illustration Rare

17Zekrom exBlack Bolt #166$288.50Special Illustration Rare

18Charizard exPaldean Fates #234$287.55Special Illustration Rare

19Glaceon exPrismatic Evolutions #150$278.15Special Illustration Rare

20Cynthia's Garchomp exDestined Rivals #232$250.05Special Illustration Rare

21Mega Darkrai exPitch Black #116$227.32Special Illustration Rare

22Flareon exPrismatic Evolutions #146$225.26Special Illustration Rare

23Mega Greninja exChaos Rising #116$211.46Special Illustration Rare

24Reshiram exWhite Flare #166$209.74Special Illustration Rare

25Mega Lucario exMega Evolution #179$208.00Special Illustration Rare

Group 2 · $202.57 down to $94.1726–50 of 50, by price

26Jolteon exPrismatic Evolutions #153$202.57Special Illustration Rare

27Mega Gardevoir exMega Evolution #178$194.19Special Illustration Rare

28Eevee exPrismatic Evolutions #167$186.44Special Illustration Rare

29Gardevoir exPaldean Fates #233$180.08Special Illustration Rare

30Latias exSurging Sparks #239$175.13Special Illustration Rare

Show the other 20 cards in this group31–50 of 50+20

31Roaring Moon exPrismatic Evolutions #162$171.54Special Illustration Rare

32PerrinTwilight Masquerade #220$169.70Special Illustration Rare

33Lillie's Clefairy exAscended Heroes #280$168.30Special Illustration Rare

34Ethan's Ho-Oh exDestined Rivals #230$165.68Special Illustration Rare

35N's Zoroark exAscended Heroes #286$159.52Special Illustration Rare

36Mega Venusaur exMega Evolution #177$157.42Special Illustration Rare

37Mega Feraligatr exAscended Heroes #274$145.34Special Illustration Rare

38Blastoise ex151 #200$139.81Special Illustration Rare

39Milotic exSurging Sparks #237$129.38Special Illustration Rare

40Meowth exPerfect Order #121$127.76Special Illustration Rare

41Venusaur ex151 #198$116.75Special Illustration Rare

42Lillie's Clefairy exJourney Together #184$110.83Special Illustration Rare

43Dragapult exPrismatic Evolutions #165$110.24Special Illustration Rare

44Charizard exObsidian Flames #223$107.56Special Illustration Rare

45Team Rocket's Nidoking exDestined Rivals #233$106.36Special Illustration Rare

46Team Rocket's Moltres exDestined Rivals #229$104.75Special Illustration Rare

47Ceruledge exPrismatic Evolutions #147$102.99Special Illustration Rare

48Zapdos ex151 #202$99.71Special Illustration Rare

49Morpeko exPitch Black #117$97.49Special Illustration Rare

50Steven's Metagross exAscended Heroes #289$94.17Special Illustration Rare

Which Special Illustration Rare cards share a name across several printings?

10 of the 50 cards listed above are reprints of just 4 names. Buying by name alone is how people end up with the wrong printing, because these share a name but not a set, a rarity or a price.

Pikachu ex3 printings · 2 sets

Charizard ex3 printings · 3 sets

Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex2 printings · 2 sets

Lillie's Clefairy ex2 printings · 2 sets

Back to summary

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards going up in value?

This is the middle price of the whole group on each reading day, so it answers the question for Special Illustration Rare cards as a group rather than for one card.

Typical Special Illustration Rare card price, September 12, 2025 to August 14, 2026

Each point is the middle price of the 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards on that day, read from this site's own archive. The 13 readings drawn above are also listed as text below.

Typical price of a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card from September 12, 2025 to August 14, 2026 — rose from $29.16 to $37.69
Reading date	Typical price	Where it started
12 Sep 25	29.16
10 Oct 25	33.36
7 Nov 25	31.85
5 Dec 25	29.87
2 Jan 26	27.03
30 Jan 26	27.65
27 Feb 26	32.21
27 Mar 26	35.03
24 Apr 26	35.3
22 May 26	40.88
19 Jun 26	42.26
17 Jul 26	40.32
14 Aug 26	37.69

Typical priceWhere it started · $29.16Now $37.69381 days on file

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — price change by window
Window	Typical then	Typical now	Change
Last month	$40.32	$37.69	-6.5%
Last 3 months	$40.88	$37.69	-7.8%
Last 6 months	$32.21	$37.69	+17.0%
Since September 12, 2025	$29.16	$37.69	+29.3%

Each row compares the middle price of the whole group on two days. It is not the change of any single card — a card can fall while the group rises, which is what the movers list below shows.

The typical Special Illustration Rare card rose from $29.16 to $37.69 over the 11 months on file — +29.3%. A rising middle means the ordinary card of this group got dearer, not just the headline one at the top of the list.

Back to summary

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card prices are spread

One group price cannot describe 222 cards. These figures show how far apart they actually sit.

$2.82$1,499.24$37.69Where the price splits in half — $2.82 to $1,499.24 laid out on a ten-fold scale

$2.82$1,499.24$75.03Where the dearer quarter begins — one card in four costs more than this

0%100%21.2%Cards costing more than $100 — 47 of the 222 that carry a price

Each half circle is the whole price range of the 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards, from $2.82 to $1,499.24, with the tenfold steps evenly spaced. The last one is read differently — it counts cards rather than dollars, and says so in its own label.

All 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards, by price band

$1 to $51.8%4 cards

$5 to $2022.5%50 cards

$20 to $5034.7%77 cards

$50 to $10019.8%44 cards

$100 to $50017.6%39 cards

$500 and up3.6%8 cards

How every Special Illustration Rare card with a price falls into price bands — 222 cards counted, not just the ones drawn above. Each track is the whole group, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits outside that band.

The longest bar is where an ordinary Special Illustration Rare card actually sits. Bands read the market price of each card on August 14, 2026.

All 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards, by price band
Group	Share	Value
$1 to $5	1.8%	4 cards
$5 to $20	22.5%	50 cards
$20 to $50	34.7%	77 cards
$50 to $100	19.8%	44 cards
$100 to $500	17.6%	39 cards
$500 and up	3.6%	8 cards

Dearest tenth startsone in ten costs more than this$211.29
Dearer quarter startsone in four costs more than this$75.03
Typical cardhalf cost less, half cost more$37.69
Cheaper quarter endsone in four costs less than this$20.12
Cheapest on filenothing in the group costs less$2.82

The five points that describe every Special Illustration Rare card price. Bar length is that price against the highest point on this ladder, and the highlighted row is the typical card.

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — two ways of counting the same group
Figure	All priced cards	The 50 listed above
Cards counted	222	50
Cheapest	$2.82	$94.17
Cheaper quarter, up to	$20.12	—
Typical (median)	$37.69	—
Dearer quarter, from	$75.03	—
Dearest tenth, from	$211.29	—
Average	$95.97	—
Dearest	$1,499.24	$1,499.24

The two columns are different groups of cards, not two readings of the same one — the right column is the dearest end of the left one. "Typical" is the middle price, which half the cards sit below; "average" is pulled upward by the few very expensive cards, which is why the two differ.

The average price of a Special Illustration Rare card is $95.97 while the typical one is $37.69. The gap between those two numbers is the shape of this group: a small number of very expensive cards is dragging the average far above what most cards actually cost.

What three quarters of the 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards cost

One in four Special Illustration Rare cards costs $20.12 or less, half cost $37.69 or less, and three in four cost $75.03 or less. Only the top quarter runs past $75.03, and the dearest tenth starts at $211.29.

See the dearest Umbreon ex — $1,499.24

Back to summary

When were Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards printed, and are the old ones worth more?

Special Illustration Rare cards were printed from 2023 to 2026, and 2025 was the biggest year with 78 of them.

Every year this rarity was printed, oldest first. The tallest bar is 2025.

Bar height is against 2025, the biggest year at 78 cards.

2023typically $18.6853 cards

2024typically $32.7351 cards

2025typically $47.6178 cards

2026typically $62.5440 cards

Bar length is against 2025, the biggest year at 78 cards. The figure beside each year is the middle price of the cards printed that year, left blank where fewer than three of them carry a price.

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are made of, and which of them hold the value

The group price says what an ordinary Special Illustration Rare card costs. These tables break the group down by set, card kind and illustrator, each row beside its own typical price, so you can tell a $1 card from a $100 one before you look it up.

Which sets hold the Special Illustration Rare cards?

Prismatic Evolutions14.4%32 cards

Ascended Heroes9.9%22 cards

Paldea Evolved6.8%15 cards

Paradox Rift6.8%15 cards

Destined Rivals5.0%11 cards

Surging Sparks5.0%11 cards

Twilight Masquerade5.0%11 cards

Mega Evolution4.5%10 cards

Scarlet & Violet4.5%10 cards

Temporal Forces4.5%10 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which sets hold the Special Illustration Rare cards?
Group	Share	Value
Prismatic Evolutions	14.4%	32 cards
Ascended Heroes	9.9%	22 cards
Paldea Evolved	6.8%	15 cards
Paradox Rift	6.8%	15 cards
Destined Rivals	5.0%	11 cards
Surging Sparks	5.0%	11 cards
Twilight Masquerade	5.0%	11 cards
Mega Evolution	4.5%	10 cards
Scarlet & Violet	4.5%	10 cards
Temporal Forces	4.5%	10 cards

Which sets hold the Special Illustration Rare cards?
Set	Cards	Share	Typical price
Prismatic Evolutions	32	14.4%	$45.27
Ascended Heroes	22	9.9%	$73.30
Paldea Evolved	15	6.8%	$19.57
Paradox Rift	15	6.8%	$15.51
Destined Rivals	11	5.0%	$64.84
Surging Sparks	11	5.0%	$32.73
Twilight Masquerade	11	5.0%	$34.76
Mega Evolution	10	4.5%	$62.37
Scarlet & Violet	10	4.5%	$11.45
Temporal Forces	10	4.5%	$43.78

Counted across all 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file. "Typical price" is the middle price inside that row, left as a dash where fewer than three of its cards carry a price — a median of one or two cards is not a typical price.

Which kinds of Special Illustration Rare card carry the value?

ex70.7%157 cards

Supporter29.3%65 cards

Tera14.0%31 cards

MEGA12.6%28 cards

Ancient4.1%9 cards

Future4.1%9 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which kinds of Special Illustration Rare card carry the value?
Group	Share	Value
ex	70.7%	157 cards
Supporter	29.3%	65 cards
Tera	14.0%	31 cards
MEGA	12.6%	28 cards
Ancient	4.1%	9 cards
Future	4.1%	9 cards

Which kinds of Special Illustration Rare card carry the value?
Card kind	Cards	Share	Typical price
ex	157	70.7%	$54.51
Supporter	65	29.3%	$21.60
Tera	31	14.0%	$102.99
MEGA	28	12.6%	$62.54
Ancient	9	4.1%	$52.00
Future	9	4.1%	$32.63

Who drew the Special Illustration Rare cards?

kantaro5.0%11 cards

AKIRA EGAWA2.7%6 cards

Teeziro2.7%6 cards

nagimiso2.7%6 cards

DOM2.3%5 cards

Ryota Murayama2.3%5 cards

Toshinao Aoki1.8%4 cards

Yano Keiji1.8%4 cards

Akira Komayama1.4%3 cards

GIDORA1.4%3 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Who drew the Special Illustration Rare cards?
Group	Share	Value
kantaro	5.0%	11 cards
AKIRA EGAWA	2.7%	6 cards
Teeziro	2.7%	6 cards
nagimiso	2.7%	6 cards
DOM	2.3%	5 cards
Ryota Murayama	2.3%	5 cards
Toshinao Aoki	1.8%	4 cards
Yano Keiji	1.8%	4 cards
Akira Komayama	1.4%	3 cards
GIDORA	1.4%	3 cards

Who drew the Special Illustration Rare cards?
Illustrator	Cards	Share	Typical price
kantaro	11	5.0%	$24.56
AKIRA EGAWA	6	2.7%	$81.58
Teeziro	6	2.7%	$53.94
nagimiso	6	2.7%	$44.10
DOM	5	2.3%	$20.19
Ryota Murayama	5	2.3%	$22.64
Toshinao Aoki	4	1.8%	$10.54
Yano Keiji	4	1.8%	$15.17
Akira Komayama	3	1.4%	$32.46
GIDORA	3	1.4%	$63.78

Which energy types do Special Illustration Rare cards use?

Darkness11.3%25 cards

Psychic10.8%24 cards

Water8.1%18 cards

Grass7.2%16 cards

Lightning7.2%16 cards

Fire6.8%15 cards

Fighting6.3%14 cards

Colorless5.4%12 cards

Dragon4.1%9 cards

Metal3.6%8 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which energy types do Special Illustration Rare cards use?
Group	Share	Value
Darkness	11.3%	25 cards
Psychic	10.8%	24 cards
Water	8.1%	18 cards
Grass	7.2%	16 cards
Lightning	7.2%	16 cards
Fire	6.8%	15 cards
Fighting	6.3%	14 cards
Colorless	5.4%	12 cards
Dragon	4.1%	9 cards
Metal	3.6%	8 cards

Which energy types do Special Illustration Rare cards use?
Energy type	Cards	Share	Typical price
Darkness	25	11.3%	$61.51
Psychic	24	10.8%	$66.47
Water	18	8.1%	$64.04
Grass	16	7.2%	$35.16
Lightning	16	7.2%	$52.18
Fire	15	6.8%	$55.88
Fighting	14	6.3%	$24.28
Colorless	12	5.4%	$43.53
Dragon	9	4.1%	$66.01
Metal	8	3.6%	$33.23

Which eras of the game do Special Illustration Rare cards come from?

Scarlet & Violet75.2%167 cards

Mega Evolution24.8%55 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which eras of the game do Special Illustration Rare cards come from?
Group	Share	Value
Scarlet & Violet	75.2%	167 cards
Mega Evolution	24.8%	55 cards

Which eras of the game do Special Illustration Rare cards come from?
Series	Cards	Share	Typical price
Scarlet & Violet	167	75.2%	$32.63
Mega Evolution	55	24.8%	$60.35

Which Special Illustration Rare cards are still tournament legal?

H33.3%74 cards

G29.7%66 cards

I27.5%61 cards

J9.5%21 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Which Special Illustration Rare cards are still tournament legal?
Group	Share	Value
H	33.3%	74 cards
G	29.7%	66 cards
I	27.5%	61 cards
J	9.5%	21 cards

Which Special Illustration Rare cards are still tournament legal?
Regulation mark	Cards	Share	Typical price
H	74	33.3%	$36.63
G	66	29.7%	$20.37
I	61	27.5%	$60.02
J	21	9.5%	$52.64

Are evolved Special Illustration Rare cards worth more?

Basic36.0%80 cards

Stage 118.0%40 cards

Stage 216.2%36 cards

Each track is the whole of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, so the empty part of a bar is the share that sits in the other rows.

Only the ten largest rows are drawn. The table below carries the same counts as text, together with what each row typically costs.

Are evolved Special Illustration Rare cards worth more?
Group	Share	Value
Basic	36.0%	80 cards
Stage 1	18.0%	40 cards
Stage 2	16.2%	36 cards

Are evolved Special Illustration Rare cards worth more?
Evolution stage	Cards	Share	Typical price
Basic	80	36.0%	$40.63
Stage 1	40	18.0%	$49.23
Stage 2	36	16.2%	$90.66

Back to summary

How much HP and damage Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards print

The 157 cards in this group that print HP run from 160 to 380, and the middle one prints 260.

Highest HP380Middle HP260Lowest HP160Biggest damage330Middle damage160Cards with HP157 cards

How wide the HP range is

Lowest HP160

Lower quarter HP220

Middle HP260

Upper quarter HP310

Highest HP380

Five points across the 157 cards that print HP, each measured against the highest of them.

How wide the damage range is

Lowest damage20

Lower quarter damage120

Middle damage160

Upper quarter damage200

Highest damage330

Five points across the 149 cards that print an attack with a damage number.

What are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards weak to?

Weakness is the one printed number that doubles incoming damage, so it decides more matches than HP does. Across the 148 Special Illustration Rare cards that print one, the most common is Fighting on 33 of them.

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are weak to

Fighting22.3%33 cards

Grass16.9%25 cards

Fire15.5%23 cards

Lightning13.5%20 cards

Darkness9.5%14 cards

Metal9.5%14 cards

Water9.5%14 cards

Psychic3.4%5 cards

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are weak to — 148 cards counted. Each track is the whole of that count, so a short bar means most of the group sits elsewhere.

An attack of this type does double damage to the card. Counted across the 148 Special Illustration Rare cards that print a weakness.

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are weak to
Group	Share	Value
Fighting	22.3%	33 cards
Grass	16.9%	25 cards
Fire	15.5%	23 cards
Lightning	13.5%	20 cards
Darkness	9.5%	14 cards
Metal	9.5%	14 cards
Water	9.5%	14 cards
Psychic	3.4%	5 cards

Back to summary

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards print a resistance?

Resistance is the rarer of the two printed match-ups: only 28 of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file carry one at all, and the rest simply leave the box empty.

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards resist

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards resist — 28 cards counted.

Fighting71%
Grass29%

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards resist — 28 cards counted.
Item	Value	Share
Fighting	20	71%
Grass	8	29%

Resistance cuts incoming damage from that type. Only some Special Illustration Rare cards print one, which is why this count is smaller than the card total.

Back to summary

How do Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve?

Evolution stage decides how many turns a card costs you before it can attack. These are the 156 Special Illustration Rare cards that print a stage.

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve — 156 cards counted.

Basic51%
Stage 126%
Stage 223%

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve — 156 cards counted.
Item	Value	Share
Basic	80	51%
Stage 1	40	26%
Stage 2	36	23%

Basic cards are played straight from the hand; the later stages have to evolve from the card before them.

Back to summary

Can you still play Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards, and what do they cost to retreat?

Price is only half of what separates this group from the one next to it. These are the conditions you meet when you put a Special Illustration Rare card on the table.

Legal in Standard213 cardsLegal in Expanded222 cardsCards with an Ability82 cardsCards with a special rule221 cards

What it costs to retreat a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card

2 energy to retreat43.3%68 cards

1 energy to retreat31.8%50 cards

3 energy to retreat15.3%24 cards

4 energy to retreat5.1%8 cards

0 energy to retreat4.5%7 cards

Counted across the 157 cards in this group that print a retreat cost. Bar length is against the most common cost.

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are weak to

Fighting22.3%33 cards

Grass16.9%25 cards

Fire15.5%23 cards

Lightning13.5%20 cards

Darkness9.5%14 cards

Metal9.5%14 cards

Water9.5%14 cards

Psychic3.4%5 cards

Counted across the 148 cards in this group that print a weakness.

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards moved most this year

The group moved +29.3%. These are the Special Illustration Rare cards inside it that moved furthest in each direction over the same window.

Change between August 14, 2025 and August 14, 2026, for the 154 Special Illustration Rare cards that carried a price on both days. Bar length is the size of the move, not its direction.

154 Special Illustration Rare cards tracked across the yearSee the group line

A group line and a card line are not the same thing. The Special Illustration Rare group rose over this window, yet the cards above ran from -41.4% to +139.0% — which is why a figure taken from the group tells you what to expect, and only the card page tells you what happened.

Back to summary

The cheapest Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards you can buy

Every list on this page so far has run from the top down. This one runs from the bottom, because the first question of anyone starting a Special Illustration Rare collection is what it costs to get in.

$5.22 Giacomo [267] 6

Professor Turo's Scenario 257 — Paradox Rift

$5.39 Professor Turo's Scenario [257]

The 6 cheapest Special Illustration Rare cards on file

Cheapest first. Each card opens its own price page. Prices exclude shipping, which on a card at this level is usually more than the card.

These six together cost $25.17, against $1,499.24 for the single dearest Special Illustration Rare card. The two ends of the same group sit 532× apart, and both of them are correctly described as "Special Illustration Rare".

Back to summary

How Special Illustration Rare compares with the other rarity tiers

Every rarity tier with a page here is ranked by its typical price. The highlighted row is where Special Illustration Rare sits.

No. 1Rare Holo Star0.1%25 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$1,067.00
No. 2Rare Holo LV.X0.3%56 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$100.63
No. 3Rare Prime0.1%26 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$94.02
No. 4Special Illustration Rare1.1%222 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$37.69
No. 5Rare Holo EX1.6%318 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$28.94
No. 6Rare Shiny GX0.2%35 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$25.48
No. 7Rare Ultra3.9%798 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$17.97
No. 8Rare Rainbow1.6%324 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$16.02
No. 9Promo6.0%1,220 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$14.82
No. 10Rare Secret1.6%325 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$14.72
No. 11Illustration Rare2.4%492 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$12.91
No. 12Rare Holo7.9%1,617 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$8.50
No. 13Hyper Rare0.4%74 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$8.31
No. 14Classic Collection0.1%25 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$6.43
No. 15Rare Holo GX0.8%165 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$6.40
No. 16Trainer Gallery Rare Holo0.4%80 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$6.09
No. 17Rare Prism Star0.1%27 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$5.41
No. 18Shiny Rare0.6%120 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$4.55
No. 19Rare BREAK0.1%27 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$4.19
No. 20Rare Holo VMAX0.5%110 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$3.61
No. 21Rare Shiny0.7%149 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$3.32
No. 22Ultra Rare1.7%356 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$2.26
No. 23Rare12.5%2,562 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$2.14
No. 24Rare Holo VSTAR0.2%43 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$2.00
No. 25Rare Holo V1.4%281 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$1.02
No. 26Double Rare1.6%317 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$0.73
No. 27Uncommon23.9%4,888 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$0.72
No. 28Common26.1%5,334 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$0.59
No. 29ACE SPEC Rare0.2%33 cards on file · share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards$0.52

Bar length is the typical price against Rare Holo Star, the dearest tier at $1,067.00. The figure beside each name is that tier’s share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards on file, so size and price can be read against each other in one place.

How many Pokémon cards are Special Illustration Rare, and which rarity tiers are bigger?

Special Illustration Rare covers 222 of the 20,444 Pokémon cards on file, which is 1.1% of the archive and No. 14 of the 29 tiers by size.

1.09%222 cards

Special Illustration Rare222 · 1.1%Every other rarity20,222 · 98.9%

Common26.1% of the archive5,334 cards

Uncommon23.9% of the archive4,888 cards

Rare12.5% of the archive2,562 cards

Rare Holo7.9% of the archive1,617 cards

Promo6.0% of the archive1,220 cards

Rare Ultra3.9% of the archive798 cards

Illustration Rare2.4% of the archive492 cards

Ultra Rare1.7% of the archive356 cards

Special Illustration Rarethis page222 cards

Bar length is against Common, the largest tier at 5,334 cards. The figure beside each name is that tier’s share of the 20,444 Pokémon cards on file.

No. 14of 29 rarity tiers by size

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Ranked 14 by number of cards — 222 of the 20,444 English cards on file carry this rarity, which is 1.1% of them. 13 tiers are larger and 15 are smaller.

This ranking counts cards, not money. A rarity can be small and cheap at the same time, so read it beside the price ladder rather than instead of it.

Which kinds of card are printed as Special Illustration Rare — Pokémon, Trainer or Energy?

Rarity is printed on every kind of card, not only on Pokémon. Of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file, 157 are Pokémon cards.

70.7%mostly Pokémon

Pokémon157 · 70.7%Trainer65 · 29.3%

Cards with an Ability

82cards

36.9% of the group

Cards with a special rule

221cards

99.5% of the group

Cards with printed HP

157cards

70.7% — Trainer and Energy cards have no HP box

Counted across all 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file.

Every card names exactly one kind, so the three slices add up to the whole group.

Which energy types the Pokémon cards in Special Illustration Rare use

Darknesstypically $61.5125 cards

Psychictypically $66.4724 cards

Watertypically $64.0418 cards

Grasstypically $35.1616 cards

Lightningtypically $52.1816 cards

Firetypically $55.8815 cards

Fightingtypically $24.2814 cards

Colorlesstypically $43.5312 cards

Bar length is against the largest type in this group. A card printed with two types is counted on both rows, so these counts can add up to more than the number of Pokémon cards.

What these cards look like

The six dearest Special Illustration Rare cards on file. Every kind of card counted above can carry this rarity.

Why the HP figures use a smaller denominator

Only 157 of these 222 cards print an HP figure, because Trainer and Energy cards carry no HP box at all. Every HP and damage figure on this page is counted across those cards alone.

Which series of the game printed Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards?

Special Illustration Rare cards appear in 2 series, and Scarlet & Violet carries the most of them with 167 cards.

Scarlet & Violettypically $32.63167 cards

Mega Evolutiontypically $60.3555 cards

Bar length is against the largest series. A series is a run of sets sold under one name, so this is a coarser split than the set tables and it shows which era of the game carried Special Illustration Rare.

Each tier below has its own page with the same figures, so you can read them side by side.

Rare Holo Star25 cards · typically $1,067.00Dearest: Pikachu ★

Rare Holo LV.X56 cards · typically $100.63Dearest: Snorlax LV.X

Rare Prime26 cards · typically $94.02Dearest: Umbreon

Rare Holo EX318 cards · typically $28.94Dearest: Gengar ex

Rare Shiny GX35 cards · typically $25.48Dearest: Charizard-GX

Rare Ultra798 cards · typically $17.97Dearest: Latias & Latios-GX

Rare Rainbow324 cards · typically $16.02Dearest: Umbreon VMAX

Promo1,220 cards · typically $14.82Dearest: Gengar

Rare Secret325 cards · typically $14.72Dearest: Lugia

What a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card looks like

Three of the 50 cards on file, taken from the top, the middle and the bottom of the price list.

Dearest, middle and cheapest of the 50 Special Illustration Rare cards this site holds a price for.

Middle · Jolteon exPrismatic Evolutions · 2025

What is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

222 of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards on file carry a price. Here is how those prices sit against each other.

Every tile is measured against the dearest Special Illustration Rare card on file, so a short bar means that figure sits far below the top of the group.

A typical Special Illustration Rare card$37.69middle priceHalf of the 222 priced cards cost less than this and half cost more.

The cheaper quarter$20.12lower quarterA quarter of the priced cards cost less than this.

The dearer quarter$75.03upper quarterA quarter of the priced cards cost more than this.

The top tenth$211.2990th placeOnly one card in ten costs more than this.

The dearest one on file$1,499.24highestUmbreon ex carries the highest asking price in this group.

The cheapest one on file$2.82lowestThe cheapest way into this group.

Graded prices are not on this pageNever Prices here are for ungraded English cards. A graded copy of the same card sells for a different figure.No free commercial source publishes graded prices or population counts, so this site does not print a number it cannot check.

What a typical Special Illustration Rare card has cost over the last 336 days

Point at the chart to read any month

Middle price of the whole group, measured on each date shown. Nothing is smoothed between the points.Middle price of the whole group, measured on each date shown. Nothing is smoothed between the points.

Read from $29.16 to $37.69. The group moved +29.3% over that span.

Why do two Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards cost such different amounts?

Both cards below carry the same rarity. One is the dearest on file and the other is the cheapest, and nothing about the rarity mark itself separates them.

The same Special Illustration Rare marking, 531.6× apart.

Dearest on fileUmbreon exPrismatic Evolutions #161HP 280 · Damage 160 · Printed 2025

531.6× apartPrice $1,499.24 VS $2.82
Printed 2025 VS 2023

Cheapest on filePoppyObsidian Flames #227Printed 2023

What is the same

The rarity printed on the card

Both are recorded as Special Illustration Rare in the card files this site reads, so a search by rarity returns them together.

What is different

The card underneath it

Set, year, artwork and how many people want it. Rarity says how a card was printed, not how sought after it is.

What this means

Rarity alone does not price a card

The middle Special Illustration Rare card costs $37.69, which is much closer to the cheap end than to the dear one. Most of this group is affordable and a handful of cards carry the headline figures.

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — frequently asked questions

How many Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are there?

There are 222 Special Illustration Rare cards in this archive, and 222 of them carry a price. Rarity is the grade recorded with each card in the card files this site reads. Every English card carries one, so the archive splits into rarity tiers without anything left over.

How much is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

The typical one costs $37.69. Across the 222 priced cards the range runs from $2.82 to $1,499.24, so the group price is a starting point rather than a valuation of any one card.

What is the most expensive Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

Umbreon ex 161 from Prismatic Evolutions, at $1,499.24. It is 40× the typical price of the group.

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards rare?

By price they rank No. 4 of 29 rarity tiers, with 25 cheaper than this one. By size the group holds 222 of the 20,444 English cards on file, or 1.1%. Those two together are what "rare" usually means in practice — few of them, and dear because of it.

Do all Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards have a price?

No. 222 of the 222 carry a price on file. The rest have never been listed at a price this archive could read, so they are counted in the card total but left out of every price figure rather than guessed at.

Where can I see every Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

The list on this page holds the 50 most expensive of them, dearest first, and each card opens its own price page. The remaining 172 carry no published price, which is why they are not drawn.

How often are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card prices updated?

Prices are read once a day from public marketplace listings. The figures on this page were read on August 14, 2026. Which cards belong to this group comes from openly published card files and changes only when a new set is added.

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards going up in value?

Over the last 11 months the typical Special Illustration Rare card rose from $29.16 to $37.69, a change of +29.3%. That is the middle of the whole group, so it describes an ordinary card of this kind rather than the headline one at the top.

How much does a cheap Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card cost?

One in four Special Illustration Rare cards costs $20.12 or less and the cheapest on file is $2.82. Three in four cost $75.03 or less, so the cards past that point are the exception rather than the rule for this group.

What is the highest HP on a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

The highest printed HP among Special Illustration Rare cards is 380, and the lowest is 160. The typical one is 260 HP, with half of them between 220 and 310 — figures counted from the 157 cards in this group that print an HP value.

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards legal in tournaments?

213 of the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards are legal in Standard today and 222 in Expanded — 95.9% and 100.0% of the group. A card leaves Standard when its set rotates out, so this share moves each year even though the cards do not change.

What are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards weak to?

Most often Fighting — 33 of the 148 Special Illustration Rare cards that print a weakness take double damage from it, with Grass next at 25 cards. Weakness is printed per card, so the group tendency is a guide and the card itself is the answer.

Are old Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards worth more than new ones?

Not simply by age. Among Special Illustration Rare cards the 2023 printings sit at a typical $18.68 and the 2026 ones at $62.54, while the dearest year of all is 2026 at $62.54. Print run and demand decide it, not the date on its own.

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card rose the most this year?

Saguaro 270 from Paldea Evolved, which went from $5.92 to $14.15 — a change of +139.0% between August 14, 2025 and August 14, 2026. It is one of 154 Special Illustration Rare cards that carried a price on both days.

Which sets have Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards?

Special Illustration Rare cards appear across 10 sets on file. The largest are Prismatic Evolutions (32 cards, typically $45.27), Ascended Heroes (22 cards, typically $73.30), Paldea Evolved (15 cards, typically $19.57). The full list on this page gives every set beside its card count and typical price.

How these Special Illustration Rare figures are collected, and where you can check them

Every figure on this page is counted from the 222 Special Illustration Rare cards this site holds on file — 222 of them with a price read once a day from public marketplace listings into this site's own archive. Nothing here is estimated: a card with no price is left out of the price columns rather than filled in. The places below are where the same card information can be checked.

Primary official source

First-party official sources — the body that issues the data itself, such as a government agency, a statutory register or a rights holder publishing its own records.

The Pokémon Company International — official tournament format and rotation announcements www.pokemon.com

Industry source

Second-party sources — marketplaces, trade associations, research institutes and companies that compile data about the market.

Pokémon TCG Data — openly published card files (card text, rarity, types, regulation mark, illustrator credits) github.com

TCGdex card database — openly licensed card files (set listings and printed names) github.com

Before you rely on these figures

Note: Prices on this page are asking and market prices for ungraded English Special Illustration Rare cards, taken from a daily snapshot of public marketplace listings read on August 14, 2026. They are not offers, they exclude shipping, duty and marketplace fees, and they move. Counts cover only the English cards this site holds on file. Graded prices, population counts, sealed product values and pack odds are not published on this site because no free commercial source provides them.

Last updated: 2026-08-14

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — how many are there and what are they worth?

How much is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

Special Illustration Rare price summary

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards at a glance

Every Special Illustration Rare card with a price on file

Which Special Illustration Rare cards share a name across several printings?

Pikachu ex3 printings · 2 sets

Charizard ex3 printings · 3 sets

Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex2 printings · 2 sets

Lillie's Clefairy ex2 printings · 2 sets

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards going up in value?

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card prices are spread

What three quarters of the 222 priced Special Illustration Rare cards cost

When were Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards printed, and are the old ones worth more?

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are made of, and which of them hold the value

How much HP and damage Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards print

How wide the HP range is

How wide the damage range is

What are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards weak to?

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards print a resistance?

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards resist

How do Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve?

How Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards evolve

Can you still play Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards, and what do they cost to retreat?

What it costs to retreat a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card

What Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are weak to

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards moved most this year

The cheapest Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards you can buy

How Special Illustration Rare compares with the other rarity tiers

How many Pokémon cards are Special Illustration Rare, and which rarity tiers are bigger?

Which kinds of card are printed as Special Illustration Rare — Pokémon, Trainer or Energy?

Which energy types the Pokémon cards in Special Illustration Rare use

What these cards look like

Which series of the game printed Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards?

Move on to a rarity tier next to Special Illustration Rare

What a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card looks like

What is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

Why do two Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards cost such different amounts?

Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards — frequently asked questions

How many Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards are there?

How much is a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card worth?

What is the most expensive Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards rare?

Do all Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards have a price?

Where can I see every Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

How often are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card prices updated?

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards going up in value?

How much does a cheap Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card cost?

What is the highest HP on a Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card?

Are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards legal in tournaments?

What are Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards weak to?

Are old Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards worth more than new ones?

Which Special Illustration Rare Pokémon card rose the most this year?

Which sets have Special Illustration Rare Pokémon cards?

How these Special Illustration Rare figures are collected, and where you can check them

Before you rely on these figures

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