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In 2021, Paul made headlines when he acquired the Pikachu Illustrator card in Dubai for a staggering $7.5 million, setting the record for the priciest Pokémon card ever sold in a private transaction.
This remarkable investment has proven incredibly profitable for the 30-year-old social media influencer, far exceeding initial expectations.
Auction house Goldin announced that AJ Scaramucci, the son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, secured this “holy grail” of collectibles for an astounding $23.3 million after a tense, hours-long bidding war.
Paul shared the excitement by live-streaming the bidding process on both his YouTube and Instagram platforms.
Following the final bid, a representative from Guinness World Records appeared on-screen to officially recognize Paul’s achievement in setting the record for the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.
It is understood Paul will walk away with around $11 million in profit after subtracting auction fees.
The well-preserved Pokémon card comes complete with a diamond-encrusted necklace, which Paul wore in his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
Paul also said he would hand-deliver the card, however Scaramucci was present at Goldin headquarters and collected his bounty immediately.
The Pikachu Illustrator cards were issued in 1998 and only 40 are believed to be in circulation.
Paul’s card is the only one to have been graded a perfect 10 by a Professional Sports Authenticator.
“No card in the hobby can boast the same prestige and elite place at the very pinnacle of the Pokémon hobby like this unimaginable Holy Grail piece,” Goldin noted on its website.
The YouTuber appeared on an episode of Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, where auction house owner Ken Goldin was seen convincing him to sell it.
“The Pokémon market is blazing hot. It’s dominating the market and that’s the number one card,” Goldin said at the time.
Paul said he would use some of the funds to pay for his wedding to fiancee, Danish model Nina Agdal.
During the auction, Paul said he also spent around $770,535 on other Pokémon product – mostly sealed boxes.
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