Online personality Logan Paul now owns one of the world's rarest Pokémon TCG cards, "Pikachu Illustrator", following a record-breaking trade deal. The YouTuber's previous dealings in Pokémon cards have been fraught with controversy; he was accused earlier this year of faking a Pokémon TCG card scam which reportedly cost him $3.5 million, although he denies the allegation.
With him having become an avid collector of high-value cards, content revolving around incredibly expensive Pokémon trading cards has become a familiar sight to Logan Paul fans in recent times. Aside from his brush with counterfeits, Paul has also released videos featuring unboxings of legitimate rare card sets, purchases that come with incredibly hefty price tags in the millions. He has engaged in projects like building a table using old GameBoys, showing his love for gaming and Pokémon. Paul's association with Pokémon cards extends into other areas of his career too. Before an exhibition boxing match against Floyd Mayweather, Paul wore a rare holographic Charizard card in a protective case around his neck.
Now Paul has added another coveted card to his collection, in a record-breaking deal as reported by Guinness World Records. His new "Pikachu Illustrator" card is a PSA Grade 10, meaning that it is in perfect condition, and moreover is the only known copy of the card to hold that rating. Paul obtained the card by trading a Grade 9 "Pikachu Illustrator" worth $1,275,000, which he had previously purchased, in addition to paying a further $4 million. This trade, worth $5,275,000 in total, has been officially recognized as setting the record for "most expensive Pokémon trading card sold at a private sale." Part of what makes "Pikachu Illustrator" so valuable is its incredible rarity. Paul explained to Guinness World Records that "Only 39 were given out to Illustration contest winners in 1998", referring to contests run by Japanese magazine CoroCoro.
It should also be noted that the card's name actually translates to "Pokémon Illustrator," with the appellation of 'Pikachu' being a popular nickname due to the popular mascot being featured in the card's artwork. Paul was presented with his official Guinness World Records certificate after his WWE debut, in which he fought a tag team match with The Miz against The Mysterios, eventually coming out on top. In a repeat of his bout against Mayweather, Paul even wore his new "Pikachu Illustrator" around his neck during his entrance. With certain Pokémon cards having such high values, it should come as no surprise that criminality haunts the elite trading circles. In addition to scammers such as the one Paul encountered, Pokémon cards have also become targets for thieves.
Logan Paul is a person used to making a splash with his outrageous exploits. Diving into the most expensive realms of the Pokemon Trading Card Game is in some ways simply par for the course. However, enormous price tags aside, it is clear through his videos that Paul holds genuine affection for his Pokémon cards, and for the franchise in general. This news also highlights the impressive value Pokémon cards or any other variety of trading cards for that matter can hold, despite essentially being printed pieces of card. Of course, these emotions can run in a less positive direction too; nostalgia for the Game Boy is what caused many gamers to feel anger over Paul's Custom Game Boy table. But in the end, it is undoubtedly outrageous moments like these that are what attract so many viewers to Logan Paul.
Source: Guinness World Records