How an Old Pikachu Was Sold for 17.5 Million Dollars 0 9

The most expensive Pokémon card — from the Japanese franchise about "pocket monsters," which includes video games, an animated series, and collectible cards — was sold for $16,492,000. This is an absolute record for collectible cards ever sold in the world.

We are talking about a limited edition card - Pikachu Illustrator. It was awarded to the winners of art contests held in 1998 by the Japanese magazine CoroCoro. Initially, the card was received by only 39 contest winners. Later, in the early 2020s, two more copies were sold by a former employee of The Pokemon Company. Thus, there are only 41 such cards in the world.

The card features Pikachu, and the illustration was created by Atsuko Nishida – the artist who conceived the original character design.

For comparison: in 2025 alone, more than 75 billion Pokémon cards were printed worldwide. Against this backdrop, Pikachu Illustrator is considered one of the rarest in the history of the series.

The card's impeccable condition adds special value to it. According to the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), which specializes in the authentication and valuation of collectibles, this particular card received a rating of "GEM MT 10" - the highest score for preservation. To date, this is the only Pikachu Illustrator card with such a rating.

The online auction was conducted by Goldin Auctions from New Jersey. The auction opened on January 6 with a starting price of $500,000. As the deadline approached, the price gradually rose to about $6 million. However, in the final minutes, there was an active bidding war among participants. Ultimately, the winning bid amounted to $13.3 million. To this sum, a 24 percent auction house commission was added, which was paid by the buyer. As a result, the final price of the card was $16,492,000.

The former owner of the card is American influencer Logan Paul. In 2021, he purchased it from a collector in the United Arab Emirates for $4 million.

On the day the auction concluded, Paul held a live stream and personally handed the card over to the new owner. The new owner is investor A.J. Scaramucci – the son of former White House press secretary Anthony Scaramucci.

Interestingly, against the backdrop of this record deal, the Pokémon gaming franchise has been facing increasing criticism from experts in recent years. Nevertheless, the sale of Pikachu Illustrator shows that interest in physical cards remains strong. People continue to collect them as a hobby while also viewing them as an investment asset.