Goldin confirmed that internet personality and professional wrestler Logan Paul sold his PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card for US$16.492 million, setting a new benchmark for the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold at auction. The buyer, venture capitalist A.J. Scaramucci, son of former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, received the card during a public handoff where Paul placed a custom diamond necklace holding the card around his neck.
The necklace was part of the sale. Paul famously wore it during his appearance at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022. Shortly after the transaction closed, Guinness World Records recognized the sale as the highest price ever achieved for a Pokémon card at auction.
Why the Pikachu Illustrator Is the Most Expensive Pokemon Card Ever
The Pikachu Illustrator card was never released to the public. Japanese publisher Shogakukan awarded just 39 copies as prizes in a late-1990s illustration contest run through its CoroCoro Comic imprint.
THE ILLUSTRATOR HAS FOUND A NEW HOME!@loganpaul passes the torch of the PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator to its new owner!
Final Sale Price: $16,492,000 pic.twitter.com/r1oTIVArj7
— Goldin (@GoldinCo) February 16, 2026
Two additional copies surfaced in 2020 when a former Pokémon Company employee sold them, bringing the known total to 41. Of those, Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) has graded only 20. A PSA 10 grade indicates gem-mint condition, making it especially desirable to serious Pokemon cards investors and collectors. For anyone searching “Pokemon card collector near me,” the Illustrator represents the pinnacle of scarcity and prestige.
Paul’s Complicated Path to Ownership
Paul’s relationship with the Illustrator card has been anything but simple. In June 2021, he purchased a PSA 9 Pikachu Illustrator from collector Matt Allen for US$1.275 million. That private transaction set a Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon trading card sold in a private sale.
One month later, Paul acquired the PSA 10 version—the card that ultimately sold for US$16.492 million—from a collector in Dubai. The deal involved trading his PSA 9 card plus an additional US$4 million.
After the recent auction, scrutiny resurfaced. According to Polygon, speculation circulated online claiming Paul had regraded a PSA 9 card into a PSA 10. The controversy added to existing questions tied to Liquid Marketplace, Paul’s now-defunct Ontario-based fractional investment platform.
In July 2022, Paul offered up to 51% ownership of the PSA 10 Illustrator through the platform. By December 2025, he stated he had reacquired those shares in May 2024. He also said only 5.4% of shares had been sold in summer 2022, totaling US$270,000. Following the auction, Paul claimed he personally funded efforts to restore the platform so users could withdraw funds.
Liquid Marketplace is currently in a legal dispute with the Ontario Securities Commission. Regulators allege the company distributed “unregistered securities,” selling investment-like tokens without proper registration or exemption. Paul has not been named as a respondent.
For collectors scanning listings or typing “Pokemon card collector near me,” the Illustrator’s record-setting price signals just how high the market ceiling can reach.
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