Logan Paul’s prized Pikachu card just became the most expensive trading card game ever sold in history.
During a hype-filled livestream watched by thousands around the world, social personality and WWE wrestler Logan Paul auctioned his PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator for a staggering $16.49 million to a bidder who was later revealed to be inside the same studio as him. Paul initially purchased the card in 2022 for $5.25 million, netting a massive profit in just a few years.
In partnership with Goldin Auctions, Paul’s livestream kept fans glued to the bidding action in real time. He also opened packs from a sealed 1st Edition Pokémon TCG booster box and a Pokémon TCG Legendary Collection box, pausing briefly each time a new bid for the Pikachu Illustrator came in.
Watch the full Logan Paul Pikachu Illustrator auction livestream below:
Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator sets trading card record
With a price tag exceeding $16 million, Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator now holds the record as the most expensive trading card ever sold. It even surpasses the 2007–08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Logoman Autograph, which was sold for $12.9 million in 2025.
What is the Pikachu Illustrator card?
Widely regarded as the holy grail among Pokémon card collectors, Pikachu Illustrator cards were first released in 1998 and awarded exclusively to winners of illustration contests hosted by the CoroCoro Comic magazine in Japan. Only 39 copies of these cards were ever printed and are also the only cards classified as Illustrator type.
Although multiple Pikachu Illustrator cards exist, Logan Paul’s copy stands out as the most coveted, being the only one graded PSA 10. This makes it the best-preserved Pikachu Illustrator in existence.
Paul took personalization to the next level by replacing the PSA slab on his Pikachu Illustrator and adding an $80,000 gold necklace, allowing him to wear the card everywhere — even showing it off at WrestleMania 38.
Why Logan Paul’s copy is so valuable
The $16.49 million Pikachu Illustrator card value comes from three factors:
- Extreme rarity (39 copies)
- Only PSA 10 condition example
- Celebrity ownership history
Because of this combination, collectors consider it the centerpiece of the entire Pokémon TCG hobby, similar to a Mona Lisa of trading cards.
Who bought the Pikachu Illustrator?
Logan Paul is expected to personally deliver the Pikachu Illustrator to the winning bidder once the auction concludes. However, it turns out several people who were watching Paul's livestream right at the studio are also actively bidding for the card, and one of them managed to secure the final offer.
The winning bidder has been identified as AJ Scaramucci, the founder Solari Capital, a venture capital and private equity firm. He is also the son of Anthony Scaramucci, who once served as White House's communication director during Donald Trump's first term in 2017.
When Paul asked the winning bidder about his plans for the card, Scaramucci revealed he’s on a “planetary treasure hunt,” aiming to acquire other outrageously expensive items in the future, including a T-Rex fossil and an ultra-rare copy of the Declaration of Independence that Goldin Auctions plans to put up this year.
Will the value increase?
Given its record-breaking price, the card’s value is likely to appreciate even further in the coming years, thanks to its rarity, Gem Mint condition, and of course, its history of ownership.
FAQ
How many Pikachu Illustrator cards exist?
Only 39 were awarded in 1998 through a CoroCoro Comic contest in Japan.
Why is Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator worth $16 million?
It is the only PSA 10 graded copy, making it the highest-quality example known.
