How much would you pay for an ultra-rare Pokémon card?
On Monday, Feb. 16, YouTube creator turned WWE personality Logan Paul sold a 1998 Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card, encased in a custom diamond necklace, for $16,492,000 in a Goldin online auction. Bidding for the one-of-a-kind card and accessory began on Feb. 15 at $13.3 million.
Solari Capital Founder AJ Scaramucci was the lucky purchaser, according to a Goldin news release. Paul had promised to hand deliver the card to the winning bidder, but Scaramucci surprised the auction house as he was already at the headquarters in person. The sale and hand-off were able to close all within the same day.
The sale broke the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold at auction, the second time Paul and this specific card have broken a world record. Paul initially purchased the card in Dubai for $5,275,000 in 2021, setting the Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon card sold at a private sale, according to a Guinness news release.
Paul then wore the card, inside a custom diamond necklace, to his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. The card made another ringside appearance in 2025, when Goldin CEO Ken Goldin wore the accessory to the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua match, popularly deemed Judgement Day, the Pokémon card’s listing on the Goldin website reads. The card also made an appearance in Season 3 of the Netflix series ‘King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch.’
Pikachu Illustrator card in ‘virtually perfect’ condition
The Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card has been graded by the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) as a Gem Mint 10, which is granted to ‘virtually perfect’ cards. Out of 53 examples of a Pokémon Pikachu Illustrator card documented by the PSA, Paul’s is the sole one to receive a Gem Mint 10 grade, according to the Goldin website.
Jewelry alone worth $75,000
Aside from the Pokémon card’s rarity, the accessory the card is held within is worth big bucks, too. Created by Suny the Jeweler, the necklace is made of pure Italian solid gold and set with about 35 carats of natural diamonds, according to the Goldin website. A Pokéball pendant on the necklace, that rests above the card, is made with about 6.5 carats of natural diamonds and the holder itself is a 10-karat pure Italian yellow gold chain, set with about 27.5 carats of baguette diamonds. Oxford Diamonds appraised the necklace at $75,000, the Goldin website states.
Several other records broken at Pokémon auction
Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator wasn’t the only collectible Pokémon card for sale. The specialized card was part of a wider Pokémon and TCG Auction held by Goldin, in partnership with Paul. According to a Goldin news release, the auction featured 300 items and several other records were broken, including:
Highest-Selling Charizard of All Time: 1999 Pokémon Base Set 1st Edition Holo #4 Charizard for $954,808
Highest-Selling Uncut Sheet of All Time: 1996 Pokemon Japanese Base Set Holo Uncut Sheet (64 cards) for $613,801
Highest-Selling Pokémon Box of All Time: 1999 Pokémon Base Set 1st Edition Factory-Sealed Booster Box (36 sets of cards) for $496,000
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
