Social media star and professional wrestler Logan Paul has sold his rare Pokemon trading card for $16.5 million (Rs 1,497,469,165) at auction, setting a new world record for the most expensive trading card ever sold at auction.
The sale followed a tense 42-day bidding process. The winning bidder was venture capitalist AJ Scaramucci, son of former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Paul personally handed over the prized Pikachu Illustrator card at the close of the auction.
The record was confirmed by Guinness World Records adjudicator Sarah Casson, who attended the livestreamed event. She verified that the final bid was the highest ever paid for a trading card at auction.
The Pikachu Illustrator card, designed by Atsuko Nishida for a 1998 contest, is regarded as one of the rarest Pokemon cards in existence. Only a few dozen are believed to exist, and Paul's copy holds a perfect condition rating of 10.
Paul originally bought the card five years ago for around $5.275 million, making an estimated $8 million profit from the sale. His initial purchase had also set a record for the most expensive Pokemon card sold privately.
The YouTuber, who wore the card during his debut at WrestleMania 38, shared an emotional farewell on Instagram before the auction ended, calling it "the greatest collectible in the world".
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
