Jake Paul breaks world record as Pokémon card sells for $16.5 million

Logan Paul’s Pokémon card obsession has paid off, as the YouTube star sold his “holy grail” item for a record-breaking $16.49 million (£12 million).

Originally made in the late 1990s, the rare Pikachu Illustrator card was first purchased by Paul five years ago for $5.27 million (£3.86 million).

On Monday (16 February), the card, one of only 39 created, was sold after a 42-day auction that culminated in hours of extended bidding.

The final sale price means the 30-year-old internet personality and wrestler is estimated to have made an $8 million profit on the card, an amount he called “absolutely insane”. Its sale broke the Guinness World Record for the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.

Paul watched the final hours of the auction on a livestream on his YouTube channel, where he boasts more than 23.6 million subscribers.

A few hours before the sale came to an end, the card was sitting at the $6.88 million mark, until last-minute bidders pushed the price to an eye-watering $16.49 million in the last few minutes. “Oh my gosh, this is crazy,” he said when the card finally sold.

The card was sold inside a diamond-encrusted necklace that Paul wore during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. He said he would deliver it by hand to the highest bidder.

Rare Pokémon trading cards have drastically increased in value in recent years; when Paul’s card first went on sale in December, auctioneer Ken Goldin told

What made Paul’s specific Pokémon Illustrator card so valuable, he explained, was its unblemished condition, earning it a Grade 10 rating.

Before the final sale, Paul – who is best known for making YouTube videos with his brother Jake – shared a message bidding it farewell with his 26.8 million Instagram followers.

“Goodbye my friend [cry emoji] What a privilege it’s been to be the owner of the greatest collectible in the world,” he wrote. “From Guinness World Records to WWE debuts, Netflix to National News, this card and I have been on a generational run.

“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.”