What's happened
YouTuber-turned-wrestler Logan Paul sold his Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card for $16.5 million at auction, setting a record for the most expensive trading card. The card, one of only 41 in existence, was purchased by venture capitalist A.J. Scaramucci. Paul previously bought it for $5.275 million, making a significant profit.
What's behind the headline?
The record-breaking sale underscores the escalating value of Pokémon collectibles, especially rare cards like the Pikachu Illustrator. The auction's success highlights the influence of celebrity ownership and media exposure in inflating prices. The fact that Paul, a social media influencer, turned a $5.275 million investment into a $16.5 million profit demonstrates the speculative nature of the market. This sale also signals a broader trend where physical collectibles are increasingly viewed as investment assets, driven by scarcity and high-profile endorsements. The auction's record-setting price will likely push prices for other rare Pokémon cards higher, further fueling the market's growth. However, this surge raises questions about market sustainability and whether such prices are driven more by hype than intrinsic value. The involvement of high-net-worth individuals like Scaramucci indicates that Pokémon cards are becoming a new frontier for wealth preservation and status symbols among the ultra-wealthy.
What the papers say
The articles from NY Post, Business Insider UK, AP News, The Independent, The Japan Times, and other sources collectively confirm the record sale of Logan Paul's Pikachu Illustrator card for $16.5 million. They detail the card's rarity, its previous record purchase by Paul, and the auction process. While some sources emphasize the market growth and collector interest, others highlight the role of celebrity influence and scarcity in driving prices. The consistency across these reports underscores the significance of this sale as a landmark event in the collectibles market, with potential implications for future valuations and collector behavior.
How we got here
Logan Paul acquired the Pikachu Illustrator card in 2021 for $5.275 million, which at the time set a Guinness World Record. The card is extremely rare, with only 41 known copies, and is highly sought after by collectors. Paul wore the card at WrestleMania 38 in 2022 and publicly bid farewell to it before selling it at auction in February 2026. The sale reflects the booming market for Pokémon collectibles among Gen Z and other collectors, driven by scarcity and high-profile ownership.
Go deeper
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Logan Alexander Paul is an American YouTuber, internet personality, actor, and boxer. As well as posting on his own YouTube channel, he has run the Impaulsive podcast since November 2018, which currently has over 2.6 million followers on YouTube.
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Anthony Scaramucci, nicknamed "The Mooch", is an American financier, entrepreneur, and political consultant who briefly served as the White House Director of Communications from July 21 to July 31, 2017.
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Atsuko Nishida (西田 敦子, Nishida Atsuko) is a Japanese graphic artist who previously worked at Game Freak and TOYBOX Inc. She designed a number of creatures for the Pokémon franchise, including one of the most well-known Pokémon species, the franc
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Guinness World Records, known from its inception in 1955 until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records, is a reference book published annually, listing world records both of human a