Logan Paul, the WWE star and big-time influencer, is putting his ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator Pokemon card up for auction. He bought it back in 2021 for almost $5.3 million, which set a Guinness World Record as the priciest Pokemon card ever sold in a private deal.[1][5]
Now, he’s teaming up with Ken Goldin from Goldin Auctions to sell it. Goldin gave Paul a $2.5 million advance, and the card hits the auction block exclusively on their site starting January 12. Goldin thinks it could fetch between $7 million and $12 million.[1][6]
Paul sees something special in these cards beyond just the artwork or rarity. He calls it a “narrative premium,” meaning the story and hype around a card can drive its price way up. In a Bloomberg TV interview, he said the Pokemon market is hotter than ever, and he jumped at Goldin’s deal.[1]
This fits with Paul’s bigger push for young collectors to bet on Pokemon cards and other collectibles instead of just stocks. He tells people not to fear risks on nontraditional assets like these.[2][4] Goldin agrees, calling Pokemon cards an “alternative asset class.” With Pokemon hitting its 30th anniversary in 2026, grown-up fans who started as kids now have cash to chase nostalgia.[1]
The Pikachu Illustrator is one-of-a-kind, graded perfect by PSA, which amps up its value. Paul turned down Goldin’s earlier $7.5 million buyout offer, betting the auction timing is perfect.[1] This move spotlights how stories, like Paul’s ownership and the Netflix show King of Collectibles, add real dollars to card prices on sites like PokemonPricing.com.
