Psyduck Breaks the Bank: A $66,000 Record Sale for the Iconic “Scream” Card
By Zeeshan Ali September 08, 2025 11:19
The Pokémon trading card market hit another milestone this week when a rare Psyduck card sold for $66,000 at Fanatics Collect’s Premier Auction, setting a new record for the character and signaling the continued strength of high-end collectibles.
The card in question, the 2018 Japanese SM Promo “Munch: A Retrospective” Psyduck, was originally distributed in limited numbers at a Tokyo museum exhibition inspired by Edvard Munch’s The Scream. The artwork depicts Psyduck mid-shriek, echoing the famous 1893 painting. It was also made available through select Pokémon Center promotions, but supplies were scarce and demand has only grown over time.
What pushed this particular copy into record-breaking territory was its BGS 10 Black Label grade, awarded by Beckett Grading Services. A Black Label indicates flawless centering, edges, corners, and surface—a standard so difficult to achieve that collectors often pay exponential premiums for the designation.
The result dwarfs previous benchmarks for the card. In June, another BGS 10 copy sold for $5,655, while PSA 10 examples have typically traded in the $4,000–$4,500 range. The $66,000 sale represents nearly a twelvefold increase in value, a dramatic surge even by the volatile standards of the trading card market.
For investors and collectors, the sale is significant beyond just one character. The Munch “Scream” crossover set—which also includes Pikachu, Eevee, and Rowlet—has long been considered a cult favorite among enthusiasts. But with Psyduck now commanding prices in the mid-five figures, it could reset expectations across the entire series.
“This is the kind of sale that reshapes a segment of the market,” said one longtime collector following the auction. “It shows just how quickly interest and valuations can escalate when you combine pop culture, scarcity, and pristine condition.”
While Psyduck may often be portrayed as a bewildered comic relief in the Pokémon universe, in the auction world it has now cemented its place as one of the most valuable promotional cards of all time.
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