KYODO — A rare Pokemon card fetched a record US$16,492,000 including the buyer's premium on Monday in New Jersey, making it the most expensive Pocket Monster trading card ever sold in a public auction. The Pokemon Illustrator card, which depicts the iconic cartoon character Pikachu, has a hobby card authenticator rating of 10, the highest possible grade. He bought the card in 2021 for $5.27 million, earning the Guinness World Record title for "most expensive Pokemon card sold at a private sale," according to the Guinness website. The successful bidder, who won the Pikachu card with a diamond necklace it hangs from, appeared at a livestream watch party for the auction on Paul's YouTube channel to collect the item. However, the auction house did not reveal his identity Monday morning when the auction ended.

Source: Bangkok Post February 16, 2026 12:51 UTC