Logan Paul Promises Personal Delivery of $5.3M Pokémon Card as Auction Hits $2.1M

Logan Paul's dropping off a multi-million-pound Pokémon card at someone's doorstep. Personally.

The WWE wrestler and YouTuber has listed his PSA 10 Pikachu Illustrator card through Goldin Auctions, with bidding already reaching £1.6 million ($2 million). 40 days still left on the clock.

Paul bought the card back in 2021 for £4.2 million ($5.275 million) in a Dubai transaction that set a Guinness World Record as the most expensive Pokémon trading card sold privately. Now? He reckons he'll make double that when the auction closes on 15 February.

What Makes This Card Worth Millions

Only 39 copies of the Pikachu Illustrator were ever made. Created by Atsuko Nishida (the original designer of Pikachu), these cards weren't sold in packs or shops. Winners of a 1998 illustration contest in Japan received them as prizes.

Paul's card is the only one graded PSA 10. Perfect condition. Population: one.

The card features unique elements that separate it from standard releases. Instead of "TRAINER" at the top, it reads "ILLUSTRATOR". A pen icon sits in the bottom right corner. These design choices celebrate the artistic contest that birthed it.

Paul wore this card around his neck at WrestleMania 38, mounted in a custom diamond necklace valued at £60,000 ($75,000). The buyer gets the whole package.

Personal Delivery Anywhere

"I'll hand-deliver it to the buyer," Paul stated in his auction announcement. Anywhere in the world, apparently. The Goldin Auctions listing confirms this promise, turning the sale into what Paul calls "the greatest Pokémon auction of our generation."

According to Beckett News, Paul wants to create a memorable experience for whoever wins. "This is the most coveted card in the world. I'm going to create that same kind of memorable experience for the next owner."

The auction opened early. Originally scheduled for 12 January, Goldin moved it forward to 5 January due to "overwhelming global interest."

Controversy Over Fractional Ownership

The auction hasn't been without drama. Paul listed the card on Liquid Marketplace, a platform he co-founded for fractional ownership of collectibles. Users bought tokens representing shares of the card.

Then the platform went dark. Last social media update? September 2023.

Paul bought back the card from Liquid Marketplace in May 2024 for £200,000 ($250,000). Some investors who bought fractional shares claim they never received payouts from that sale. The Ontario Securities Commission has launched an investigation into the Toronto-based company.

"We were told that the funds had been redistributed, and I assumed that was the case," Paul told cllct. "When I put my card up for auction, it was news to me that people on the platform couldn't withdraw their money."

Paul has promised to work with Liquid Marketplace to resolve the issue. No timeline provided.

Expected Sale Price

Goldin estimates the final hammer price will land between £5.6 million and £9.6 million ($7 million to $12 million). If correct, Paul walks away with a profit of £1.4 million to £5.4 million ($2 million to $7 million).

GameSpot reports the starting bid was £1.04 million ($1.3 million). Within 24 hours, it jumped to £1.45 million ($1.45 million).

Prediction markets give the card a 76% chance of exceeding £5.6 million ($7 million). The timing aligns with Pokémon's 30th anniversary in 2026, which typically drives collector interest.

The auction includes other rare Pokémon items. A complete 2014 Pokémon World Championships Pikachu Trophy Collection. Factory-sealed booster boxes from early releases. A 2025 Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy "Traveling Chocobo" Gold Serialised Card.

Paul's consignment was documented on the Netflix series King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch. Ken Goldin advanced Paul £2 million ($2.5 million) to secure the card for auction.

Investment Or Hype

Paul has been vocal about treating collectibles as investments. "Pokémon as an asset class has outperformed the stock market by upwards of 3,000% in the last 20 years," he told Fox Business.

Financial experts disagree. AES, a global wealth management firm, found collectibles produced a 6.4% nominal annual return between 1900 and 2012. Stocks performed better long-term.

Still, high-grade vintage Pokémon cards have seen explosive growth. PSA 9 versions of the Pikachu Illustrator jumped from £670,000 ($840,000) to £3.2 million ($4 million) in recent years.

Whether Paul's card reaches £9.6 million remains to be seen. The auction closes 15 February at 10pm GMT.

Extended bidding kicks in if last-minute bids arrive.