Trading cards and rare collectables are often auctioned for record-breaking price tags. And recently, WWE’s Logan Paul made history after his ultra-rare Pokémon card was auctioned off for more than $16 million. Winning the mega-million bid was former White House employee and now venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci.
However, this was not just a collector’s item; it is encased in a diamond-studded box attached to a bejewelled necklace, featuring the Pokémon logo. The wrestler-turned-YouTuber bought the Pikachu Illustrator card for $5.3 million in 2021, and it remains the best-preserved version of it.
Most expensive trading card ever
Guinness World Records adjudicator Sarah Casson revealed that Paul’s Pikachu trading card was the most expensive trading card ever auctioned. Wort $16.492 million, the near-perfect collectable was first issued in 1998 as part of a contest. Today, there are 40 that are known to exist.
The wrestler’s card was graded 10 according to Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) standards. In fact, it was also featured in the latest season of the Netflix show, ‘King of Collectables: The Goldin Touch’. Auction boss Ken Goldin even offered Paul a $2.5 million advance deal and a cut of everything else sold in his Pokémon and TCG (trading card game) auction.
Interestingly, Paul admitted that these funds would be helpful for his ‘expensive wedding’ in the episode. This came after Logan Paul tied the knot with Danish model Nina Agdal in a lavish affair in Lake Como, Italy, in August 2025.
The card was seen around Logan Paul’s neck during his WWE tenure. He made his debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, with the diamond-encrusted rare trading card around his neck.
Who is AJ Scaramucci?
AJ Scaramucci is the son of the former White House communications director, Anthony. A venture capitalist by profession, he is now on a hunt for the ‘uncollectable’. He said that this rare trading card was part of his first ‘planned planetary treasure hunt’.
Before collecting his prized possession, he said, “I’m on a quest to buy a T-Rex dinosaur fossil, I’m going to buy the Declaration of Independence, and I’m not stopping there…This was only the beginning.” He declared his plans for ‘collecting the uncollectable’.