Logan Paul, the YouTuber turned wrestler and entrepreneur, recently sparked a big conversation about Pokemon card prices by sharing his bold investment moves. He dropped $5.3 million on a super rare Pikachu Illustrator card back in 2022, calling it the rarest and most valuable in the world with a perfect PSA grade of 10.[1][2][4] Paul plans to auction it off in early 2026, betting it will fetch between $7 million and $12 million, which could net him a solid profit.[2][4]
What makes this story hit home for Pokemon collectors is how Paul ties card prices to deeper ideas about belief and hype. He points out that top cards like his Pikachu or even his Pristine 1999 Base Set 1st Edition Charizard thrive because people believe in their scarcity and status.[1][4] There is just one card like his Pikachu at that grade, and only a handful of those Illustrator cards exist worldwide.[2] That limited supply fuels the fire, turning a simple trading card into a status symbol worth millions, much like luxury bags or rare watches.[1][2]
Paul pushes young investors to skip the usual stock market grind and chase these nontraditional bets. He argues Pokemon cards have crushed the S&P 500 over the past two decades, with one index showing over 3,800% returns since 2004 compared to the market’s 483%.[2][4] Even short-term, the hobby beat Nvidia and the S&P this year by a wide margin.[2] But he warns to stick to the absolute best items, the “best of the best,” because not every collectible holds up long term.[1]
This belief system explains wild Charizard prices too. Fans and flippers pour money into vintage holos like the 1st Edition Base Set Charizard because they see it as the ultimate icon, a piece of Pokemon history that nostalgia and rarity keep pumping higher.[3][4] Hype from influencers like Paul amps that up, making prices swing on crowd excitement more than steady market rules. One recent Charizard sale hit $420,000 at peak buzz, but values can dip if the story fades.[3]
Paul wore his Pikachu card on a $75,000 chain during fights, showing how personal passion drives the market.[1][4] For collectors eyeing Charizard or other chase cards, his take boils down to this: prices reflect what the community truly believes is unbeatable. Scarcity plus story equals big money, but chase wisely and know trends shift fast.[1][2][3][4]
