Logan Paul, the WWE star and YouTuber with millions of fans, recently made headlines by putting his ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator Pokemon card up for auction. He bought it back in 2021 for almost 5.3 million dollars, which earned it a Guinness World Record as the most expensive Pokemon card ever sold in a private deal.[1][3][4]
This card stands out because it is one of just 39 ever made. It comes from a 1998 illustration contest run by the Japanese kids magazine Korokoro Comic. Winners got these cards mailed to them instead of handing them out at events, tying it straight to Pokemons early days and making it the rarest of them all.[3] Logan’s version is special even among those. It has a perfect PSA 10 grade, the only known one like that from a 1997 Japanese promo. Even cards with lower grades go for over 80,000 dollars.[4][5]
Paul teamed up with Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, to sell it. Goldin gave him a 2.5 million dollar advance, and the auction hits Goldin Auctions website on January 12, 2026. This whole story plays out in the new season of Netflixs King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, which just premiered.[1][3]
What has collectors buzzing is Logans take on why Pokemon cards matter so much. He told Fox News that young people do not need to stick to old-school investments like stocks or real estate. Pokemon cards beat the stock market with over 3000 percent returns in the last 20 years, he said. They carry real historical value, especially pieces like his Pikachu that link back to Pokemons roots.[3][4]
Paul sees these cards as smart alternative assets. Younger folks like millennials skip traditional stuff and go for collectibles that excite them more. Goldin even offered 7.5 million dollars for the card before, but Paul held out.[3][4]
For Pokemon fans tracking prices on sites like PokemonPricing.com, this auction could shake things up. It shows how demand for top-tier cards keeps climbing, with eyes already on what the final bid might hit in January.[3]
