An extremely rare Pokémon card sold at auction for $16,492,000 on Monday. This level had never before been reached by these objects which collectors around the world are snapping up.

Published on: 02/17/2026 - 08:51

A transaction that sparked. An extremely rare Pokémon card was sold at auction for $16,492,000 on Monday, February 16, a level never before reached by these collectibles worldwide.

This “Pikachu Illustrator”, bearing the image of the famous electric yellow character from the Japanese franchise, was purchased by American YouTuber Logan Paul during another record sale in 2021, for $5.28 million.

The buyer this time is AJ Scaramucci, son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, according to Guinness World Records and Goldin, the auction house.

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At the end of the sale, Logan Paul placed the card around the neck of its new owner, attached to a diamond necklace worth $75,000, according to Guinness.

Guinness World Records certified it as the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold at auction in any category.

A card drawn by the creator of Pikachu

The card game, launched in Japan in 1996 in the wake of the video game series featuring cute pocket monsters, has experienced a resurgence of interest in recent years which has driven up prices, causing stock shortages and incidents.

There are now over 1,000 Pokémon, with new "generations" appearing with each new game.

Factors determining value include rarity, character (Mew, Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Charizard are generally more prized), and the artist, whose name is on the card. The card sold Monday is graded “PSA 10,” meaning it is in virtually perfect condition.

“Pikachu Illustrator” cards are very popular with collectors, particularly because they were drawn by Atsuko Nishida, the creator of Pikachu. The card, never sold commercially, was distributed as a prize during an illustration competition in 1998.

The year after its purchase, Logan Paul wore it around his neck to a WWE wrestling event in Texas. The $16,492,000 paid Monday includes the buyer's premium.

With AFP

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