Logan Paul’s rare Pokemon card sold at auction for world-record $20.8 million
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The Pokemon Illustrator card has a hobby card authenticator rating of 10, the highest possible grade.
PHOTOS: AFP, LOGANPAUL/TIKTOK
NEW JERSEY – A rare Pokemon card fetched a record US$16.49 million (S$20.8 million) including the buyer’s premium on Feb 16 in New Jersey, making it the most expensive Pocket Monster trading card ever sold in a public auction.
The Pokemon Illustrator card, which depicts the iconic cartoon character Pikachu, has a hobby card authenticator rating of 10, the highest possible grade. It is one of only 39 of the illustration cards given to winners of a 1998 drawing contest held by the Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic.
The card was consigned to the New Jersey-based Goldin Auctions house by popular American social media influencer and pro wrestler Logan Paul, 30. He bought the card in 2021 for US$5.27 million, earning the Guinness World Record title for “most expensive Pokemon card sold at a private sale”, according to the Guinness website.
This time, it was purchased by A.J. Scaramucci, the 30something son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. After the successful bid, Paul placed the card – which was attached to what Guinness said was a US$75,000 diamond necklace – around Mr A.J. Scaramucci’s neck.
In recent years, prominent social media influencers have engaged with fans by opening boxes containing multiple packs of Pokemon cards, hoping to find rare cards that could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Ahead of the online auction that started on Jan 5, Mr Ken Goldin, founder and owner of the auction house, told Kyodo News that he thought the price of the card had appreciated since 2021 and “wouldn’t be surprised” if the lot reached over US$10 million. KYODO NEWS
