Pikachu with a price tag: Logan Paul sells 'holy grail' for record amount

This sale proves once again that Pokémon is no longer child's play. The rare Pikachu Illustrator card by influencer Logan Paul, also Jutta Leerdam's brother-in-law, went under the hammer for a record price. What makes this piece of cardboard so extraordinarily valuable?

During the auction at Goldin Auctions, this single card attracted a whopping 97 bids. The final price: $16,492 million. This makes it officially the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold and the most expensive trading card ever at auction. Another world record for a card already listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most valuable Pokémon card ever sold in a private transaction.

The card in question is the legendary Pikachu Illustrator from 1998. Originally awarded to winners of the Japanese CoroCoro Comic magazine's "Pokémon Card Game Illustration Artist Contest." According to current consensus, 41 copies have been officially distributed. The PSA census report lists 53 registered cards, but only one achieved the highest possible rating: GEM MT 10. This is that one copy. Unique worldwide.

What makes this card extra special is not only its condition, but also its status. It's the only official Pokémon card that features "Illustrator" at the top instead of "Trainer." The design also includes a pen icon as a subtle nod to the drawing competition for which it was created. Within the collecting community, this card's prestige is compared to iconic sports cards like Babe Ruth or Michael Jordan.

With chain

Logan Paul acquired the card in 2021 after months of negotiations in Dubai for $5,275 million. He wore the showpiece during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38, set in a custom-made diamond necklace by Suny the Jeweler. The necklace features approximately 35 carats of VVS1 diamonds, set in solid Italian gold, and has an estimated value of $75.000.

The card also played a prominent role in season three of the Netflix series "King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch," which extensively follows the negotiations surrounding the sale. The new owner? Investor AJ Scaramucci, who thus secures a place among the absolute top of the international collecting world.