Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Logan Paul’s PSA Gem Mint 10 Pikachu Illustrator sold through Goldin Auctions for $16,492,000 on February 16, 2026. Guinness World Records recognizes it as both the most expensive Pokémon trading card and the most expensive trading card sold at auction. The announced total includes the buyer’s premium, so it is not the hammer bid alone.
How much did Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator sell for?
The final reported auction total was $16,492,000, including buyer’s premium, according to Guinness World Records. Guinness reports the winning bid itself as $13.3 million; the premium brings the announced total to $16.492 million. The Associated Press rounded the result to $16.5 million.
Goldin Auctions conducted the sale online. The bidding lasted 41 days, and Guinness adjudicator Sarah Casson was present at the close to confirm the record, the AP reported.
What record did the sale set?
Guinness recognizes the February 16, 2026 auction as the record for both the most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at auction and the most expensive trading card sold at auction overall. Those categories are specifically about auction sales; they should not be broadened into a claim about every kind of card transaction.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →#1 Best Overall
The distinction matters because Paul’s earlier acquisition was a private sale, not an auction. Guinness lists that 2021 transaction at $5,275,000, a separate record-setting deal that preceded the Goldin auction.
Why is the Pikachu Illustrator so rare?
It was a contest prize, not a retail release
The Pikachu Illustrator was designed by Atsuko Nishida and awarded as a prize in a 1998 illustration contest. It was not originally sold in shops. Guinness says 39 copies were given to contest winners; the AP describes only a few dozen as believed to exist.
Rank #2
- Pokemon TCG : 100 CARD LOT RARE, COMMON, UNC, HOLO OR FULL ART
- AMAZING GIFT FOR KIDS! ULTRA RARE & HOLO RARES
- Each lot includes a great assortment cards from the Pokemon Trading Card Game
- Cards are Near Mint Mint condition and English!
Paul’s copy had a distinct grading claim
Guinness describes Paul’s card as the only known Pikachu Illustrator graded PSA Gem Mint 10. PSA grades cards on a 0–10 scale, with 10 designated Gem Mint. That describes the assessed condition of this particular copy; it is separate from how many contest cards were distributed. The “only known” population claim is Guinness’s, not an independently audited census.
Scarcity and condition help explain why this copy drew attention, but a grade does not guarantee a future sale price. The sources document this record result, not a market-wide valuation or investment outlook.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rank #3
How did Logan Paul acquire the card?
Guinness reports that Paul acquired the Illustrator in 2021 for $5,275,000. The deal combined a PSA Grade 9 Pikachu Illustrator valued at $1.275 million with $4 million in additional cash. Later Guinness reporting and the AP support 2021 as the acquisition year.
Paul had also worn the card at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, according to Guinness. At the auction event, the winning bidder received the card attached to a diamond necklace reported by Guinness to be worth $75,000.
Rank #4
- 5 Assorted VSTAR/VMAX Pokemon cards
- Will receive 2 VMAX Full Art Etched Pokemon Cards
- Will receive 2 VSTAR Full Art Etched Pokemon Cards
- Will receive 1 VMAX or VSTAR Secret Rare (Rainbow or Gold) Pokemon Card
- No Duplicates! Will receive 5 different cards!
Who bought it?
The winning bidder was A.J. Scaramucci. The AP identified him as a venture capitalist and the son of Anthony Scaramucci. The sale transferred a singular contest-era collectible with a record-setting auction result; it does not establish what another copy, or another card with a similar grade, would sell for.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the price does—and does not—tell collectors
The $16,492,000 figure is a completed auction result for one unusually scarce card in one specific grade. It is useful as a record of what this buyer paid through Goldin, but it is not a general price guide for Pikachu Illustrator cards or Pokémon cards as a whole. The earlier $5,275,000 private sale and the later auction should also be kept distinct: they were different transactions, several years apart, with the latter total including buyer’s premium.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 🦷 Gnaw 10
- ⚡️ Thunderbolt 30
- 🪨 Weakness To Rock x2
- 🏃♂️ Retreat Costs 1 Colorless Energy Card
- 👨🎨 Illustrator: Mitsuhiro Arita
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
