Logan Paul, the wrestling and social media star, has set a new Guinness world record for the auction price of a trading card.

His Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card, a “Holy Grail” for collectors, sold for an astonishing 16.5 million dollars (£12.1m) at Goldin Auctions – the Runnemede, New Jersey based company, which operates primarily as an online marketplace for trading cards and memorabilia.

The card was purchased by AJ Scaramucci, the son of Donald Trump’s former White House Communications Director, Anthony.

Mr Paul had purchased the card back in 2021 for 5.27 million dollars (£3.86m), itself a world record at that time for a Pokémon card. The prominent American influencer, entrepreneur, and WWE professional wrestler had added a diamond necklace and custom case to the card, and he also wore it at Wrestle-Mania 38, in 2022.

After 41 days of bidding, Guinness World Records adjudicator Sarah Casson was on hand for the auction’s closure and was able to confirm that the eventual price was a record, not just for a Pokémon card, but for any trading card sold at auction.

The 1998 card was designed by Atsuko Nishida, with around 40 only believed to exist, and Paul’s card is understood to be the only one with a quality rating of 10, awarded by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator), which rates the conditions of trading cards, meaning it is a “virtually perfect card”.

The famed YouTuber hung the incredibly expensive item around the neck of Mr Scaramucci, who said it was the first acquisition of a planned “planetary treasure hunt”. Elaborating further, the new owner said: “I’m on a quest to buy a T-Rex dinosaur fossil; I’m going to buy the Declaration of Independence; and I’m not stopping there, this was only the beginning.”

The Pokémon cards basically represent creatures with specific types (e.g., Fire, Water, Psychic), HP (hit points), and attacks. They range from Basic to Stage 1 and Stage 2 evolutions, classed as trainer or energy cards. They are used in for 2-player battles, where players use 60-card decks to defeat opponents.

The market for the cards associated with the immensely popular Japanese animation franchise are ridiculously “hot” right now, ranging from common to ultra-rare, featuring holo, reverse holo, and special artwork.

And this card is the Number One!