Logan Paul Gifts One-Year-Old Daughter $9,000 Shining Magikarp Pokemon Card

Most dads hand their toddlers a soft toy or picture book for Christmas. Logan Paul went a different route. He gave his one-year-old daughter, Esme, a PSA 10 First Edition Shining Magikarp Pokemon card valued at roughly $9,000 .

The WWE wrestler posted the moment to Instagram , showing Esme gripping the professionally graded card whilst her father explained the significance. "Since I know you chose Magikarp as your starter Pokemon, I got you a first edition Shiny Magikarp," Paul says in the clip.

The Starter Pokemon Test

The gift came after Paul conducted what he called a "starter Pokemon test" with Esme. He placed multiple Pokemon toys in front of her, and she picked Magikarp from the corner of the pile , ignoring the traditional starters most trainers would choose.

Paul wrote on social media about processing his daughter's choice. He noted that whilst most people see a helpless fish with minimal battle utility, his daughter recognised a Pokemon with massive potential . Fair point. Magikarp does evolve into Gyarados at level 20.

The Instagram video racked up hundreds of thousands of reactions. Fans called the exchange "too cute" whilst others joked about Esme becoming "Madam Magikarp." Some questioned whether a toddler needed a four-figure Pokemon card. Others praised the investment angle.

Why This Card Matters

Shining Magikarp first appeared in the Neo Revelation set, released in English in September 2001 . The set introduced "Shining" Pokemon to the trading card game, which represented the Shiny variants from Pokemon Gold and Silver.

Only two Shining Pokemon appeared in Neo Revelation: Shining Magikarp and Shining Gyarados were the secret rare cards of the expansion . These cards featured alternate colouring and held a one-per-deck rule, making them prized collectibles even back then.

A PSA 10 grade means the card is in gem mint condition. Recent auction data shows PSA 10 First Edition Shining Magikarp cards selling for between £4,000 and £7,800 depending on market conditions. Paul's gift sits at the upper end of that range.

The card's value stems from several factors. First Edition Neo Revelation packs are scarce. PSA 10 grades on 20-year-old cards are uncommon. And collectors love Shining Pokemon due to their historical significance as early alternate-art variants.

Timing and Context

The Christmas gift comes weeks after Paul announced plans to auction his PSA-graded Pikachu Illustrator card that he purchased for £4.1 million in 2022 . That sale is scheduled for February 2026 through Goldin Auctions.

Paul expects the Pikachu Illustrator to fetch between £5.4 million and £9.3 million when it goes under the hammer. He's called it the "Holy Grail" of Pokemon cards and wore it around his neck in a £58,000 custom chain during WWE appearances.

The Shining Magikarp gift suggests Paul intends to pass his Pokemon collecting habits to Esme. He framed the moment as the beginning of what he called an epic collection , hinting this won't be her only high-value card.

Paul has spoken about fatherhood changing his priorities. He told interviewers that becoming a dad made him "less selfish" and placed his daughter and partner ahead of himself . Giving a toddler a collectible worth thousands of pounds is an interesting interpretation of that philosophy.

The Pokemon Market in 2025

Pokemon cards remain big business. The trading card hobby entered a new era driven by technology, innovation, and nostalgia , according to eBay executives. Users searched for "Pokemon" nearly 14,000 times per hour on the platform in 2024 .

Paul has argued that top-grade Pokemon cards have outperformed the stock market over the last two decades . Whether that holds true depends heavily on which cards you select and when you buy them. Cherry-picked examples like Pikachu Illustrator or First Edition Charizard show massive returns. Common cards from modern sets? Not so much.

The Pokemon franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026. Pokemon TCG products are expected to remain valuable going into the anniversary year , though predicting collectibles markets is notoriously unreliable.

Esme might grow up to appreciate her father's gift. Or she might trade it for a plush Snorlax when she's five. Either way, Paul documented the moment for millions of followers, blending family life with his public persona as a Pokemon mega-collector.

The video ends with Esme smiling at the card, blissfully unaware she's holding enough value to cover several years of nursery fees. Welcome to the world of high-stakes Pokemon collecting, kid.