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Former Vine star Logan Paul has broken his own record for the most expensive Pokémon card. The card in question is the illustrator Pikachu card, which was created for the winners of the illustration contest run by CoroCoro comics between 1997 and 1998.
This card was never reprinted and was never sold in packs, making it the rarest Pokémon card to exist. The card has had quite a history with the Teen Choice Award winner, as he previously bought a copy of the card for $2 million (£1.47 million). This card would turn out to be fake, leading to a viral and visceral reaction from the sports beverage tycoon.
The Wrestler would later purchase the card at the highest collectors’ grade of PSA 10 for a then record-breaking $5.3 million (£3.88 million), which would then be repurposed as luxury jewelry accompanying him to the WrestleMania ring.
The PSA 10 grade has made this already rare card an exceptional collector’s item, as it is the only copy of the card currently valued as a PSA 10. This, combined with the podcaster’s fame and promotion of the item, has made it highly sought after, leading to its staggering final auction price of $16.49 Million (£12.09 million).
Bragging rights
The collectors’ economy has long since dominated headlines with stories like this, yet it should be asked if these are the wisest market conditions.
While this illustrator Pikachu card’s final price is impressive, it is also inaccessible for most people. This makes a piece of trading card game history more akin to a piece of fine art for the rich.
The card itself also appears to be a lot more of a status symbol and speculative commodity for the vlogger. Not only has the card sat as the centre piece of a diamond necklace, but the boxer’s promotion of the necklace has led to a surge in the price of the card, allowing him to turn a tidy profit on the card itself.
It also became the centre of controversy as the Guiness world Record holder had originally intended to list the card on Liquid Marketplace, where users could buy parts of the card. However, he walked this back shortly after as users reported issues with the site, leading him to tweet an apology.
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