Logan Paul sold his prized Pokémon trading card for a jaw-dropping $16.49 million on Monday, setting a new Guinness World Record for the most expensive trading card sold at auction.
After a tense 42-day auction, Paul placed the multi-million-dollar Pikachu Illustrator card around the neck of the winning bidder, A.J. Scaramucci, a venture capitalist and son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.
“Oh my gosh, this is crazy,” Paul said as the final deal was made.
Paul threw in a diamond necklace and a custom case with the rare card, which he wore at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
The pristine trading card from the late 1990s was snapped up by Paul five years ago for roughly $5.275 million, netting the 30-year-old YouTube star about $8 million in profit.
His original purchase also broke the record for the most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at a private sale, according to the Guinness World Records.
Guinness World Records adjudicator Sarah Casson was at the YouTube livestreamed auction for its closure on Monday and confirmed the price was the highest bid for any trading card sold at auction.
The holy grail card for collectors was designed by Atsuko Nishida for a 1998 contest and is one of only a few dozen believed to exist.
Paul’s card is in pristine condition and is likely to be the only one in circulation with a quality rating of 10.
The famed YouTuber turned professional wrestler bid his rare card a heartfelt farewell in an Instagram post before the final sale to Scaramucci.
“Goodbye, my friend. What a privilege it’s been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world,” Paul, who is known for making videos with his brother, Jake, said to his 26.8 million Instagram followers.
“From Guinness World Records to WWE debuts, Netflix to National News, this card and I have been on a generational run,” Paul added.
“This sorta feels like that moment when you beat the Elite Four, get inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the game restarts. As this Grail changes hands, I’m excited to go on my next Pokémon journey.”
With Post wires
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