A rare Pokemon card previously owned by Logan Paul has shattered the record for being the most-expensive to be sold in a public auction — fetching a whopping US$16.49 million (S$20.8 million).
What’s more, Logan is adding a diamond-encrusted chain that he wore to display the card during WrestleMania 38 as a freebie for the winner.
The Illustrator card, featuring Pikachu holding a paintbrush, was just one of 39 presented to winners of a 1998 drawing contest held by the Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic, reported Kyodo News.
It was given a hobby authenticator grade of 10, deemed to be in perfect condition.
Called “the Holy Grail of all Pokemon cards” by Logan, who bought it in 2021 for the previous record of US$5.27 million, it went under the hammer by New Jersey-based auction house Godin Auctions and sold in the early hours of Monday (Jan 16) after 42 days of bidding, according to CNN.
“We’ll be live streaming it all live on my YouTube channel as we’re breaking open a US$1.4 million First Edition and Legendary collection box of Pokemon cards,” the content creator-turned-professional wrestler, 30, wrote in a TikTok post on Feb 11.
“I am gassed.”
@loganpaul
This Sunday, the auction for the Holy Grail of Pokémon closes. The current bid is at $6.3M, already making it a two-time Guinness world record setting collectible. By this time next week, someone will own this franchise-defining piece of history We’ll be live streaming it all LIVE on my YouTube channel as we’re breaking open a $1,400,000 1st Edition & Legendary Collection box of Pokémon cards. I am GASSED 🔥 9pm EST, this Sunday on my YT channel. See you there
♬ original sound – Logan Paul
Five days later, to confetti falling from the ceiling and Logan’s exclamation of: “Oh my gosh, this is crazy,” the card went for US$16.492 million.
BBC reported that the winner was American venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci, son of financier and former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who called it his first acquisition of a planned “planetary treasure hunt”.
He also wants to buy “a T-Rex fossil, the Declaration of Independence” and more, if anyone’s selling.
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drimac@asiaone.com
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