Goldin Auctions has officially confirmed the highest trading card sale in history. On February 16, 2026, a PSA Gem Mint 10 graded Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card sold for $16,492,000, shattering the previous record held by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card that went for $12.6 million in August 2022. The sale was authenticated by Guinness World Records as the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction, a milestone that firmly places Pokémon at the top of the collectibles hierarchy. The card was sold by Logan Paul, who originally purchased it for $5.275 million roughly five years ago, turning his investment into an approximate 212 percent return.
The buyer, A.J. Scaramucci — a venture capitalist and son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci — now holds what may be the single most valuable collectible card on the planet. The sale included a diamond-encrusted gold pendant appraised at $75,000, the same piece Paul wore when he debuted the card at WrestleMania 38. This article breaks down the details of the sale, what makes the Pikachu Illustrator card so rare, what this means for the broader Pokémon card market, and whether collectors should view high-grade vintage cards as serious investment vehicles.
Table of Contents
- What Makes the Pikachu Illustrator the Highest Trading Card Sale in History?
- Who Is A.J. Scaramucci and Why Did He Pay $16.49 Million?
- Logan Paul’s Five-Year Investment and What It Tells Us About Card Collecting
- How Should Collectors Think About High-Value Pokémon Cards as Investments?
- The Grading Premium — Why PSA 10 Commands Exponential Value
- Goldin Auctions and the Rise of Dedicated Collectibles Platforms
- What the $16.49 Million Sale Means for the Future of Pokémon Collecting
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes the Pikachu Illustrator the Highest Trading Card Sale in History?
The Pikachu Illustrator card occupies a unique position in the Pokémon trading card world because of its extremely limited print run and unusual origin. Only 39 copies were ever created, distributed as prizes in a Pokémon illustration contest held in Japan in the late 1990s. These were never sold in retail packs or available through any conventional channel, which means the supply was fixed from the moment they entered circulation. Of those 39 cards, only 8 have received a PSA Grade 9, and the card sold through Goldin Auctions is the only known copy to have earned a PSA Grade 10 — the highest possible grade a card can receive. That distinction matters enormously when it comes to auction valuations.
In the grading world, the jump from a 9 to a 10 is not incremental; it often represents a multiple of value. A PSA 9 Pikachu Illustrator would still command millions, but the fact that Paul’s card is the sole example at the top of the grading scale transforms it from a rare card into a singular artifact. There is no other card like it in existence, and unless another copy surfaces and grades at 10 — which most experts consider extremely unlikely given the age and handling history of the remaining copies — this card will likely hold that status indefinitely. For comparison, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card that previously held the record at $12.6 million is also exceptionally rare in high grade, but multiple copies exist at PSA 9 and above. The Pikachu Illustrator’s combination of cultural significance, limited production, and unmatched condition grade gave it the edge to surpass even the most iconic card in baseball history.
Who Is A.J. Scaramucci and Why Did He Pay $16.49 Million?
A.J. Scaramucci is a venture capitalist who has been building a profile in the alternative assets space. His decision to acquire the card at this price point signals a broader trend among younger, tech-adjacent investors who view blue-chip collectibles as a legitimate asset class alongside traditional equities and real estate. For Scaramucci, the purchase is likely part investment, part cultural statement — owning the single most expensive trading card in history carries a visibility that few other purchases can match.
However, it is worth noting that paying record-breaking prices for any collectible carries significant risk. The trading card market, including Pokémon, experienced a dramatic boom during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, followed by a correction that saw many cards lose 30 to 50 percent of their peak value. Mid-tier cards were hit hardest, while the ultra-rare, top-graded specimens like the pikachu Illustrator have proven more resilient. If the broader collectibles market enters another downturn, a card purchased at $16.49 million would need sustained demand from an extremely small pool of potential buyers to hold its value. Liquidity at this price level is thin, and that is a risk that even sophisticated investors should not ignore.
Logan Paul’s Five-Year Investment and What It Tells Us About Card Collecting
Logan Paul purchased the Pikachu Illustrator for $5.275 million approximately five years before the February 2026 sale. Walking away with $16.49 million represents a return of roughly 212 percent, or an annualized return that outpaced the S&P 500 over the same period by a wide margin. Paul also leveraged the card as a personal brand asset, wearing the diamond-encrusted pendant containing the card at WrestleMania 38, which generated substantial media coverage and arguably increased the card’s cultural cachet. This is an important detail for collectors to understand. Paul did not simply store the card in a vault and wait for it to appreciate. He actively increased its profile by associating it with high-visibility events, effectively marketing the card to a global audience.
The pendant itself, appraised at $75,000 and included in the sale, was part of that strategy. Not every collector has the platform to replicate this approach, but it demonstrates that provenance and story can materially affect a card’s auction price. A PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator with no celebrity association would still be extraordinarily valuable, but the Paul connection almost certainly added a premium. For the average collector, the takeaway is not to go buy a $5 million card. It is that condition, rarity, and narrative all contribute to long-term value. A card that checks all three boxes is far more likely to appreciate than one that checks only one.
How Should Collectors Think About High-Value Pokémon Cards as Investments?
The $16.49 million sale will inevitably prompt some collectors to view their cards through a purely financial lens, and that shift in perspective comes with tradeoffs. On one hand, the Pokémon card market has demonstrated that top-tier cards can deliver outsized returns. First Edition Base Set Charizards in PSA 10 have appreciated dramatically over the past decade, and the Pikachu Illustrator sale validates the idea that Pokémon cards can compete with — and now surpass — traditional sports cards at the highest end. On the other hand, treating cards as investments introduces a different set of considerations. Storage, insurance, and authentication costs add up.
The market for cards above $100,000 is relatively illiquid, meaning selling quickly at fair value is not always possible. And unlike stocks or bonds, trading cards generate no income while you hold them — there are no dividends, no interest payments, only the hope of future appreciation. Collectors who enjoy the hobby and happen to benefit from price increases are in a fundamentally different position than speculators who buy cards solely to flip them. The former can weather downturns because they value the cards intrinsically; the latter often panic sell during corrections, locking in losses. A reasonable approach for most collectors is to buy what they genuinely want to own, prioritize condition and authenticity, and treat any financial appreciation as a welcome bonus rather than an expectation.
The Grading Premium — Why PSA 10 Commands Exponential Value
One of the most critical factors in the Pikachu Illustrator sale is the PSA 10 designation. Professional Sports Authenticator uses a 1-to-10 scale, and the difference in value between a PSA 9 and a PSA 10 for rare cards is not linear — it is often exponential. For mainstream cards, a PSA 10 might be worth two to three times a PSA 9. For cards where PSA 10 copies are extremely scarce, that multiplier can be ten times or more. The warning for collectors here is straightforward: do not assume that getting a card graded will automatically increase its value. Grading is a gatekeeping mechanism, and many cards that look clean to the naked eye come back at 8 or below due to subtle centering issues, surface imperfections, or corner wear that only professional evaluators detect.
Submitting a card for grading also involves fees, shipping risk, and wait times that can stretch for months. For cards worth less than a few hundred dollars, the cost of grading may not be justified unless the card has genuine sentimental or long-term hold value. The PSA 10 premium is real, but it is earned by the card’s condition, not by the act of submitting it. Collectors should also be aware that grading standards can shift over time. What received a 10 a decade ago might receive a 9 today, and vice versa. This introduces an element of uncertainty that is often underappreciated in market valuations.
Goldin Auctions and the Rise of Dedicated Collectibles Platforms
Goldin Auctions, the house that facilitated the $16.49 million sale, has become one of the dominant platforms for high-end trading card sales. Founded by Ken Goldin, the auction house has handled many of the most notable card transactions in recent years, including the previous record-holding Mickey Mantle sale at $12.6 million. Goldin’s model combines traditional auction mechanics with digital marketing and social media promotion, which has proven effective at driving bidding activity and final sale prices.
For collectors looking to sell high-value cards, the choice of auction house matters. Goldin, Heritage Auctions, and PWCC each have different fee structures, buyer pools, and marketing approaches. A card consigned to the wrong platform may not reach the right audience, which can mean leaving money on the table. For cards in the five-figure range and above, researching recent comparable sales on each platform is well worth the effort before committing.
What the $16.49 Million Sale Means for the Future of Pokémon Collecting
The Guinness World Record confirmation of the Pikachu Illustrator sale as the most expensive trading card ever sold is a watershed moment for Pokémon collecting. For years, the trading card market’s highest prices were dominated by sports cards — baseball in particular. The fact that a Pokémon card now holds the overall record signals a generational shift in what collectors value and are willing to pay for. The generation that grew up with Pokémon in the late 1990s and early 2000s is now in its peak earning years, and their nostalgia has real purchasing power.
Looking ahead, this sale will likely increase interest in other ultra-rare Pokémon cards, particularly Japanese promos and prize cards from the same era. Whether that translates into broad market appreciation or remains concentrated at the very top of the rarity scale is an open question. History suggests that record-breaking sales generate enthusiasm across the hobby but do not uniformly lift all prices. Collectors would be wise to focus on cards with genuine scarcity and strong condition rather than chasing whatever is trending in the wake of a headline.
Conclusion
The $16,492,000 sale of the PSA Gem Mint 10 Pikachu Illustrator through Goldin Auctions on February 16, 2026, is now the highest trading card sale in history, confirmed by Guinness World Records. It surpassed the previous record by nearly $4 million, delivered Logan Paul a 212 percent return on his original $5.275 million investment, and placed a Pokémon card at the pinnacle of the entire trading card market for the first time. The buyer, A.J. Scaramucci, now owns what is arguably the most significant single item in the Pokémon collecting world.
For collectors, the practical lessons are consistent with what the hobby has always rewarded: rarity, condition, and patience. The Pikachu Illustrator is a one-of-one at its grade level, which makes it an extreme case, but the principles apply at every price point. Buy cards you understand, prioritize authenticated high-grade copies, and recognize that while the market can deliver remarkable returns, it can also correct sharply. The hobby is at its best when the joy of collecting comes first and the financial upside follows naturally.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Pikachu Illustrator cards exist?
Only 39 Pikachu Illustrator cards were ever produced. They were distributed as prizes in a Pokémon illustration contest in Japan in the late 1990s and were never available in retail packs.
What PSA grade did Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator receive?
The card received a PSA Gem Mint 10, the highest possible grade. It is the only known Pikachu Illustrator to have achieved this grade. Eight other copies have received a PSA 9.
Who bought the Pikachu Illustrator card for $16.49 million?
The buyer was A.J. Scaramucci, a venture capitalist and son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. The sale was conducted through Goldin Auctions.
What was the previous record for the most expensive trading card ever sold?
The previous record was held by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card, which sold for $12.6 million in August 2022. The Pikachu Illustrator sale surpassed it by nearly $4 million.
How much did Logan Paul originally pay for the Pikachu Illustrator?
Paul purchased the card for $5.275 million approximately five years before the February 2026 auction, making his return on investment roughly 212 percent.
Was anything else included in the $16.49 million sale?
Yes. The sale included a diamond-encrusted gold pendant appraised at $75,000 that Logan Paul famously wore when he debuted the card at WrestleMania 38.
