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Logan Paul has sold his ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator trading card for a record-breaking $16.492m (£12m), according to auction house Goldin.
The influencer and WWE performer originally bought the card in 2021 for $5.275m, setting a world record at the time. Five years on, the sale has more than tripled that figure, with a custom diamond necklace included in the deal.
The card, widely described as the "holy grail" of Pokémon collectibles, is one of roughly 40 Pikachu Illustrator cards produced for a late-1990s illustration contest. Paul's copy is the only example to receive a perfect Grade 10 rating from authentication agency Professional Sports Authenticator, meaning it is considered virtually flawless.
The auction ran for 42 days before closing after hours of extended bidding, eventually drawing 97 total bids. As confetti fell during a YouTube livestream, Paul called the result "absolutely insane".
Moments later, a representative from Guinness World Records confirmed it as the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.
The winning bidder was venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci, son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. The purchase, he said, marked the beginning of a wider mission to acquire rare historical artefacts in what he described as a "planetary treasure hunt".
Paul included the diamond-encrusted necklace he famously wore during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, promising to hand-deliver the card to its new owner.
Trading cards tied to the Pokémon franchise, the world's highest-grossing media property, have surged in value in recent years, outpacing many traditional collectibles.
Despite previously insisting he was "a collector, not a reseller", Paul admitted the liquidity would be useful, joking about funding his expensive wedding.
As the hammer fell, he bid farewell to the card on social media: "Goodbye my friend. What a privilege it's been.
