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Logan Paul's Illustrator Pikachu broke the record for most valuable Pokémon card ever for reasons that baffle us all

For more than $16 million, you could have gotten a Illustrator Pikachu card that Logan Paul wore to Wrestlemania and slapped in a gaudy protective case.

Pokemon Let's Go Shocked Pikachu Face — Image credit: Game Freak

News by Trent Cannon, Senior Contributing writer

Published on Tue Feb 17 2026

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If anyone ever tells you that the wealthy have good taste, you can point them to the recent sale of Logan Paul’s Illustrator Pikachu Pokémon card, which set a world record as the most expensive trading card ever. The card sold for more than $16 million at auction on Tuesday for reasons that stem from both its rarity, condition, a remarkably gaudy protective case, and the fact that it had been on TV.

When the final hammer fell on the February 16, 2026 auction, the world had a new most expensive trading card. The 1998 Pokémon TCG Illustrator Japanese Holo Promo card had been recently graded at PSA 10, which means that it has been found to be in flawless condition despite being released nearly 30 years ago. Internet celebrity and occasional boxer Logan Paul, the previous owner of the card, sold it for a tidy $16.49 million. The card is considered one of the rarest Pokémon cards in existence, having only been given to a handful of winners of an illustration contest.

Interestingly, this seems to have been a remarkable investment for Paul, who bought the same card in 2021 for $5.275 million. What caused the card to more than triple in value in five years? One factor seems to be that Logan Paul occasionally wore it while participating in WWE events, including 2022’s Wrestlemania. Another factor is that it came with a diamond-encrusted protective case on a gold chain, for times when you want everyone to know you have extensive wealth and no taste in jewellery.

The sale of Logan Paul’s Illustrator Pikachu Pokémon card for more than $16 million makes it the most valuable trading card ever sold, surpassing the previous record for a 2007-2008 Upper Deck Jordan/Bryant Duel Logoman card for $12.932 million in 2025.

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