Rare Pikachu Illustrator Card Sells For Record $16.49 Million
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Five years ago, American YouTuber Logan Paul made headlines when he paid a record $5.275 million for a Pikachu Illustrator card. That price now looks like a bargain. On February 16, 2026, his card sold for over $16 million, making it the most expensive Pokémon card sold at auction. It also broke the overall record for the most expensive trading card sold at auction. That record was previously held by a $12.93 million trading card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The auction lasted 41 days, with collectors watching every move. In the final hours, bidding soared from about $6 million to $13.3 million. The final price, including auction fees, came to an astounding $16.49 million.
The winning bidder was American investor AJ Scaramucci. He and his brother David have been Pokémon fans since childhood. The card is the first item in his treasure hunt for rare and historic objects. AJ next hopes to acquire a T.rex fossil and an early printed copy of the Declaration of Independence.
"This was only the beginning," AJ later said.
As you might have guessed, the Pikachu Illustrator is no ordinary trading card. The artwork, depicting a cheerful Pikachu holding a paintbrush, was drawn by Atsuko Nishida. She is the original designer of Pikachu. The card was awarded to just 39 winners of a 1998 Pokémon illustration contest in Japan. Of those 39, only about 24 are known to remain, making them extremely rare.
Logan’s card is even more valuable because it is the only known Pikachu Illustrator to receive a PSA 10 grade. This means it is in nearly perfect condition. To showcase and protect it, Logan encased the card in a gold case and placed it in a custom gold and diamond necklace. A sparkling diamond Poké Ball pendant hanging above the card completed the $75,000 display.
While the Pikachu Illustrator card was the star of the auction, many other Pokémon items also sold for thousands of dollars. These included a 1999 1st Edition Holo Charizard, one of the most sought-after Pokémon cards, and several sealed Pokémon video games. The auction's success is a testament to Pokémon’s continued popularity more than 30 years after its creation.
Resources: CNN.com, Guinnessworldrecords.com, Smithsonianmag.com
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94 Comments
lusahudakige7 daysI have two
transfr3ak8 daysi have one- cjplays279 daysSame i watched golden
- cjplays279 daysWow i love pokemon
vycanumunaly10 dayswow I can't believe Logan Paul is rich he kinda just sat there and talked I'm surprised that that's even a card- tadydamehyce11 daysI watch his show, it’s called golden it really cool
- sandpaper12 daysi have a card that has a different copy selling for more than 1000
jutymohaliby14 daysI can't beleave a card was wurth this much!!!! I have a lot of pokemon cards but IDK how much they cost. (^w^).- nipudevuzedu14 daysI havee a pokemon that cost 2110$
winter_soldier15 daysI got about 10 original Pikachu's in good condition, but nothing like this, that's a little over the top for one card, but I get it because its like a real one of a kind type of situation, BUT A NECKLACE MADE OUT OF GOLD AND DIAMOND?!?! THATS CRAZY
