Five years after breaking records by buying a Pokemon card – a collectible trading card – for $5.275 million, Logan Paul has now sold it for a whopping $16.492 million. ₹1,495 million crowns. The resale, which also included a diamond necklace, proved to be an incredibly profitable move for the influencer turned WWE star.
The card in question is an ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator, one of only 39 copies made for a Pokémon illustration contest held in the late 1990s. It was auctioned through Goldin and the bidding closed on Monday, CNN reported.
Massive profit after fees
Despite the cost of the auction, the sale is believed to have netted Paul a profit of more than $8 million. In response to the result, he described the result as “absolutely insane”.
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The auction lasted for 42 days, with extended bidding hours on the last day. During the YouTube livestream, Paul joked, “We might have tired someone out” as the bids continued to rise.
When the auction finally ended and confetti fell around him, he exclaimed: “Oh my God, this is crazy.”
Shortly afterwards, a Guinness World Records official appeared on screen to confirm that Paul had achieved the record for the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.
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Unlike the previous purchase, this time the card was auctioned inside a custom-made necklace. Paul famously wore the piece during WrestleMania 38 and pledged to personally deliver it to the winning bidder.
Why is the card so valuable?
Pokemon remains the highest-grossing media franchise in the world, generating more revenue than Disney and Star Wars. According to Goldin founder and CEO Ken Goldin, who was quoted by CNN, over the past two decades, Pokémon cards have grown in value, even surpassing sports cards and outperforming the S&P stock market by 3,000%.
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Calling it “the holy grail of all Pokémon cards,” Goldin added, “This is the most sought-after trading card in the world.
The Pikachu Illustrator is especially prized because Paul’s copy has a PSA 10 — the highest possible condition rating from the PSA certification agency. Considered to be virtually flawless, it is the only Illustrator card to receive a grade 10.
A dramatic final offer
As the auction drew to a close, the price was $6.882 million. However, a flurry of late bids during the extended bidding window sent the total soaring. After 97 bids, the final hammer price reached $16.492 million.
How Paul got the card
Paul originally obtained his PSA Grade 10 card in July 2021 via a high value trade. He traded a PSA Grade 9 Pikachu Illustrator card — worth $1.275 million — along with $4 million in cash to complete the deal.
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Among the 20 Illustrator cards graded by the PSA, only eight received a Grade 9. Paul’s remains the only example awarded a Grade 10, making it the rarest and most desirable version available.
Collector known for big moves
Paul has developed a reputation for going to extremes when it comes to collectibles. Over the years, he has invested millions in rare items, including NFTs – unique digital assets verified on the blockchain.
Ahead of the auction, he shared an emotional post on Instagram saying goodbye to the card, writing: “Goodbye my friend. What a privilege it has been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world.”