Logan Paul Just Made Pokémon History With the Sale of His Pikachu Illustrator Card
A rare Pokémon card has just made history, and the price has stunned collectors around the world. According to Goldin Auctions, the famous Pikachu Illustrator card sold on February 16 for a total of $16,492,000. That number includes the buyer’s premium and officially makes it the most expensive trading card ever sold.
The auction house confirmed the final sale price after the bidding closed. The Pikachu Illustrator card is often called the holy grail of Pokémon cards. It was first given out in 1998 as a prize in art contests run by the Japanese magazine CoroCoro.
Only a small group of winners received the card back then. The artwork was created by Atsuko Nishida, who designed Pikachu in the early days of the franchise. Today, only 41 copies of the card are known to exist.
What made this card even more special is its condition. Professional Sports Authenticator graded it GEM MT 10, which is a perfect score. It is the only Pikachu Illustrator card in the world to ever receive that grade.
The auction began on January 6 with a starting price of $500,000. As the deadline got closer, the bids jumped fast. The price climbed from $6 million to a final bid of $13.3 million, which crossed $16 million once fees were added.
The card was previously owned by Logan Paul. He bought it in 2021 using $4 million in cash, along with another Pikachu Illustrator card that had a lower grade. Paul later made the card famous outside the collector world when he wore it around his neck during his WrestleMania debut in 2022.
During a livestream hosted by Goldin Auctions, Paul handed the card over to its new owner, venture capitalist A.J. Scaramucci. Goldin confirmed the buyer is the son of Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director.
JUST IN: Logan Paul's 'Pikachu Illustrator' Pokémon card sells for record-breaking $16,492,000 pic.twitter.com/oQY0ihye5U
— Remarks (@remarks) February 16, 2026
While the physical card market keeps breaking records, Pokémon as a brand is also heading into a big year. The franchise is approaching its 30th anniversary, and interest continues to grow across games, cards, and competitive play. Reports from The Pokémon Company say celebrations will officially begin on Pokémon Day later this month.
On the gaming side, fans are waiting for Pokémon Pokopia, a sandbox-style game set to release on March 5. The title is expected to be a major release for the Nintendo Switch 2. This follows Pokémon Legends Z-A, which launched in late 2025 and received mixed reviews.
The digital card space is also expanding. The Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket app continues to grow, and the competitive scene remains active. Just this month, the European International Championships wrapped up in London, where Edwyn Mesman won the TCG Masters Division, according to official tournament results.
Logan Paul is also staying busy after the record sale. He recently moved his IMPAULSIVE podcast to a new digital platform through a partnership with WWE and Fanatics. He also continues to appear regularly in the wrestling ring.
Even as digital collectibles grow, this sale proves that rare physical items still carry unmatched value. With Pokémon entering its 30th year, moments like this show that the franchise is still stronger than ever, both culturally and financially.
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