Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator Card Sells for Record $16.49 Million

Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card has been sold at auction for a record-breaking $16.49 million, solidifying its status as the most valuable Pokémon card ever sold. The auction, held by Goldin Auctions, concluded early Monday morning after 41 days of bidding.

A Historic Sale

The final price, which includes a 24% buyer’s premium, surpasses the $5.275 million Paul originally paid for the card in July 2021, a price that previously held the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold. The card, a PSA 10 graded Pikachu Illustrator, is considered the “Holy Grail” of Pokémon collecting due to its rarity and historical significance. Paul had the card encased in a custom case and necklace, which were also included in the auction.

The Pikachu Illustrator Card: A Rare Gem

According to Japanese media, only 41 copies of the Pikachu Illustrator card were ever produced in 1998. The cards were awarded to winners of a drawing contest organized by the Japanese magazine ‘CoroCoro,’ where participants submitted their own Pokémon card designs. Winners received 20 copies of their own creation, along with the exclusive Pikachu Illustrator card designed specifically for the competition. Polygon reports that over 75 billion Pokémon cards were printed in total last year, highlighting the extreme rarity of the Illustrator cards.

From Bidding Wars to a New Owner

Bidding for the card opened on January 5th, initially due to “overwhelming global interest,” according to Goldin. The price escalated rapidly, moving from $500,000 to $4.3 million within the first week. Even as the price plateaued at $5.1 million on January 14th, a surge of last-minute bids drove the final price to its record-breaking level.

There was a brief controversy when OnlyFans creator Emmie Bunni posted a photo of herself wearing the card with Paul, claiming to have submitted a private bid of $10.2 million that was rejected. Paul refuted the claim, stating the image was AI-generated and that the false bid negatively impacted the auction. Bunni later confirmed the image was fake but reiterated her interest in the card.

The New Owner: A.J. Scaramucci

The winning bid was secured by investor A.J. Scaramucci. Paul personally delivered the card to Scaramucci, sharing the moment on social media. Scaramucci is an American investor and entrepreneur whose company, Solari Capital, participated in a $220 million funding round for American Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency company with ties to Eric Trump. He is also the son of Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as White House Communications Director during Donald Trump’s first term.

Pokémon’s Continued Dominance

The sale underscores the enduring popularity and value of Pokémon collectibles. Pokémon is currently the world’s most profitable media franchise, surpassing even Disney and Star Wars in revenue.