Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card fetches $16.49 million at auction.

Logan Paul’s unique PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card—often dubbed the “Holy Grail” of Pokémon collecting—has officially fetched a staggering $16,492,000 at Goldin Auctions. The auction wrapped up early Monday morning after 41 days of intense bidding, with most of the action occurring during an extended bidding phase that followed the auction’s conclusion. The final bid reached $13.3 million, plus a 24% buyer’s premium, resulting in a total that more than tripled Paul’s original purchase price.

Paul acquired the card for $5.275 million in July 2021, setting a Guinness World Record for the highest price ever paid for a Pokémon card at that time. He also invested $70,000 in a custom case and necklace to showcase the card, which he wore as part of his WrestleMania 38 outfit.

Bidding kicked off on January 5 for the card (including the necklace and case) after the start date was moved up from January 12 due to overwhelming global interest, as noted by Goldin. “This is the biggest Pokémon and trading card game auction ever held, and the incredible interest we’ve received prompted us to open early,” said Ken Goldin, the founder and CEO. Paul referred to it as “the most coveted card in the world,” and mentioned he would personally deliver the card to the auction winner.

In the first week, bids skyrocketed from $500,000 to $4.3 million. By January 14, the price stabilized at $5.1 million. On January 19, OnlyFans creator Emmie Bunni shared a photo on Instagram of herself with Paul, claiming she had submitted a private bid of $10.2 million, which Paul rejected. He later posted a video asserting that the image was AI-generated and argued that the false claim about the bid negatively affected the auction. Bunni later confirmed the image was fake but maintained her interest in the card. It remains unclear if she was among the bidders who pushed the auction beyond the $10.2 million mark.

Bidding surged again on February 14, and as the auction neared its scheduled end at 10 p.m. on February 15, a flurry of bids came in before the final one was placed hours later. Goldin has yet to reveal the identity of the winning bidder.

Originally awarded to winners of a 1998 illustration contest by CoroCoro Comic in Japan, the Pikachu Illustrator was designed by Atsuko Nishida, the original artist behind Pikachu. It’s estimated that around 39 to 41 copies were distributed, but Paul’s card is the only one graded PSA 10, the highest possible condition. “Given its rarity, immense value, and pedigree, this Pikachu Illustrator represents one of the most significant public offerings of a Pokémon card in the history of the hobby and a potentially once-in-a-lifetime sale,” Goldin stated in the auction listing.

“My heart sank when I dropped it,” Paul remarked when announcing the sale. “One of one. The Mona Lisa of collectibles.” He framed the auction as a celebration of Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, claiming that Pokémon collectibles have outperformed the stock market by 3,000% over time.

When Paul bought the card in 2021 for $5,275,000 (after trading a PSA 9 copy and cash), it had already set a world record. He showcased the card in a December 2022 episode of Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch (season 3, episode 2), leading up to the auction. Now, he’s set to hand-deliver this thin piece of 28-year-old cardboard, measuring 3.5 by 2.5 inches, and walk away with millions.