Logan paul pokemon card world record with ken goldin

Logan Paul’s World-Record Pokémon Card Sells for $16.5 Million

By Ben McKimm - News

Published: 17 Feb 2026

Readtime: 5 min

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Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator card sold for a record $16.5 million.
It is the only copy to receive a perfect PSA 10 grade.
Buyer AJ Scaramucci purchased the card at a Goldin auction.
The sale includes a $75,000 diamond-encrusted gold necklace.
This transaction sets a new world record for any trading card.

It seems unfair to compare Pokémon to Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, and Mickey Mantle. However, the reality is that the select few people wealthy enough (or obsessed enough) to afford the world’s most expensive trading cards weren’t alive when the all-time great sporting heroes played. This is precisely why YouTuber and WWE Superstar, Logan Paul, bought the Guinness World Record-holding Most Expensive Pokémon card of all time back in July of 2021 for USD$5.3 million (approx. AUD$7.9 million).

Paul finalised negotiations with a card trader in Dubai, and as soon as the purchase was made, it was instantly verified by Guinness World Records as the “most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at a private sale. Now, it’s sold for a record price at auction again, thanks to Goldin in Runnemede, New Jersey, USA.

While it’s rare for private sale transactions to be publicised, auctions are a different beast, and those that involve one of the biggest YouTubers on the planet and once-in-a-lifetime trading cards grab global headlines. With weeks left in the auction, the card was already well on its way to a new record, with a USD$5.1 million ($6,324,000 with Buyer’s Premium) highest bid. Now, Logan Paul’s PSA GEM MT 10 Pikachu Illustrator card has set a new record as the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction, selling for $16,492,000 to buyer AJ Scaramucci of Solari Capital.

Logan paul pokemon card world record winning bid — Logan Paul’s World-Record-Holding Pikachu Illustrator auction | Image: Supplied / Goldin

Why Logan Paul’s Pokémon Card is Worth So Much?

Of the estimated 41 copies of this card that were officially awarded and distributed, this is the only PSA Graded GEM MT 10 (23000982). Beckett, the company that PSA owns and uses to grade its cards, has awarded only two Illustrator cards the inferior MINT 9 grade. It’s why Logan Paul’s card is so valuable, and auction results have been so strong from the outset.

There’s also a level of provenance to the sale. Love him or hate him, Paul’s status as the owner of this card will only add to its value. During his ownership of the card, he famously attached it to a diamond-adorned custom necklace (also offered in this once-in-a-lifetime sale) during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38. He then received the record certificate backstage at AT&T Stadium after defeating the father-son duo of Rey and Dominik Mysterio with his tag-team partner, The Miz (as pictured).

The card was also the centrepiece of season three of the Netflix show King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, where Paul wore the card for a box break of 2009-10 Topps Basketball cards at Goldin headquarters in search of a never-found one-of-one Stephen Curry SuperFractor rookie card.

Logan paul pokemon card world record winners — Logan Paul’s World-Record-Holding Pikachu Illustrator auction | Image: Supplied / Goldin

Who Bought Logan Paul’s Pokémon Card?

Founder and Managing Partner of Solari Capital, AJ Scaramucci, bought Logan Paul’s Pokémon card. He was in the crowd the whole evening during bidding, which meant Goldin was able to transfer the card immediately after the auction’s close. Paul had originally offered to deliver the card to the winning bidder anywhere in the world, but that wasn’t necessary.

“This right here is what makes collecting so special–this hobby is unbelievably fun,” said Logan Paul. “I love the community aspect of it, getting to meet other collectors and connect over our shared passion. It has been amazing working on this with my friend Ken Goldin, who has changed Pokémon forever in such a great way.”

Goldin and Paul also included a USD$75,000 custom diamond necklace created by Suny the Jeweller in the sale, which is made from pure Italian solid gold and set with 35 carats of VVS1 clarity natural diamonds, totalling approximately 10,000 stones. They also received a Pokéball bail featuring 6.5 carats of VVS1 natural diamonds.