Market outlook
Stable Outlook 6/10
Consistent low-end raw sales around $5-9 with graded 10 holding $100+ value; anniversary nostalgia sustains interest without sharp spikes
Next months. Stable with minor fluctuations tied to Pokémon TCG meta shifts
Long term. Modest appreciation as vintage Celebrations set, potentially 10-20% growth if anniversary hype cycles return
History
Surfing Pikachu VMAX is a special variant of Pikachu, Pokémon #025, depicted riding a surfboard in a dynamic full art illustration by artist aky CG Works. This card celebrates Pokémon's 25th anniversary, featuring Pikachu as a powerful VMAX stage Pokémon with 310 HP and the attack 'Max Surfer'. It originates from the Celebrations series, evoking nostalgic promo art from the Pokémon TCG's early days while fitting into the Sword & Shield era mechanics requiring a Surfing Pikachu V to evolve.
October 8, 2021, as part of the Pokémon Celebrations 25th Anniversary collection packs in English
- Part of the exclusive 25-card Celebrations subset #009/025
- Ultra Rare Holo VMAX full art card from Sword & Shield - Celebrations series
- Artist: aky CG Works; requires Surfing Pikachu V basic to play as a second-stage Pokémon
Rarity and print run
- Tier
- Ultra Rare
- Print run
- Medium
- First printed in
- Celebrations (Sword & Shield era)
- Demand
- Medium
- Supply
- Medium
- Limited to 25th Anniversary Celebrations packs
- Full art VMAX chase card in short-print subset #009/025
- Grading yield challenges due to holo surface flaws
Collector notes
Condition. Check for centering issues on full art borders, surface scratches on holo foil, print lines on Pikachu and surfboard, edge whitening, and corner dings; common flaws include roller marks and holo bleed in Celebrations pulls
Storage. Use semi-rigid top loaders with sleeves, store in cool dry place away from sunlight to prevent foil oxidation; avoid stacking without dividers for full art cards
Authenticity. Verify holo pattern matches official Celebrations shimmer, check card number #009/025 alignment, scan QR code if present; fakes often have blurry art or incorrect font weights; cross-reference with graded pop reports for cert numbers like 117700686
Sources: aamintcards.com, sportscardinvestor.com, youtube.com, pricecharting.com, tcgplayer.com