Logan Paul is set to auction his record-breaking $5.3 million Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card, using the moment to champion high-end collectibles as a smarter bet than traditional stocks for young investors. The rare card, which he bought in 2021 and often calls the “rarest and most valuable card in the world,” is expected to test just how hot the alternative-assets market has become heading into the new year.
Logan Paul’s Record Pokémon Card Sale
Logan Paul is putting his ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card up for auction through Goldin Auctions after purchasing it in 2021 for nearly $5.3 million in a private deal that set a Guinness World Record for the most expensive Pokémon trading card ever sold.
As part of the arrangement, the WWE star and YouTuber has reportedly secured a $2.5 million advance from Goldin founder Ken Goldin, with the sale featured on Netflix’s “King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch” and the auction scheduled to go live on January 12.
Why He’s Hyping Collectibles Over Stocks
In recent interviews, Paul has argued that younger investors should look at nontraditional assets like trading cards, sports memorabilia, fossils and art rather than focusing only on the stock market, especially if they have disposable income and a high risk appetite.
He has framed the Pikachu Illustrator as an alternative asset, saying today’s collectors are adults who grew up with Pokémon and now want to own pieces of their childhood, a trend auction houses say is fueling soaring prices for culture-linked collectibles.
The Booming Pokémon and Collectibles Market
Analytics firm Card Ladder estimates that Pokémon cards have delivered cumulative returns of about 3,821% between 2004 and August 2025, a figure often cited by enthusiasts as proof that the hobby has evolved into a serious investment arena.
Goldin Auctions believes Paul’s card alone could fetch between $7 million and $12 million at auction, underscoring how top-tier Pokémon items now sit alongside blue-chip art and vintage sports cards in the high-end alternative-asset space.
Paul’s Message and Risk Warning
While urging young people to “not be afraid to take a risk” if they can afford it, Paul also admits that collectibles could be a fad and stresses that anyone jumping in should understand the volatility and do proper research before staking large sums.
He says he tends to buy at the “top of the asset class,” using his own Pikachu Illustrator purchase as an example of a high-risk, high-reward play that may pay off big at auction but is far from guaranteed in a rapidly shifting market.
What This Means for Young Investors
Logan Paul’s move turns a single Pokémon card into a headline-making case study in how influencer culture, nostalgia and online wealth are reshaping what a modern investment portfolio can look like.
Whether the card ultimately sells closer to $7 million or pushes toward eight figures, the auction will be watched closely by both collectors and financial commentators as a real-time test of how much faith the market currently has in alternative assets over traditional stocks.
