Logan Paul, a popular influencer and WWE star, sold his ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card for $16.5 million, setting a new record for the most expensive trading card sold at auction. The card, one of only 39 created for a 1990s illustration contest, is considered the 'holy grail' of Pokémon cards due to its rarity and perfect PSA Grade 10 condition. Paul originally bought the card in 2021 for $5.275 million and sold it after a 42-day auction that saw last-minute bidding push the final price past $16 million, with a total profit of over $8 million. The auction included a custom diamond necklace worn by Paul at WrestleMania 38, which was also part of the sale. Paul publicly bid farewell to the card, calling it 'the greatest collectible in the world,' and promised to personally deliver it to the winning bidder. The sale highlights the booming market for rare Pokémon cards, which have outperformed traditional investments like stocks over the past two decades. The record-breaking sale underscores the continued popularity and high value of physical Pokémon collectibles, despite recent challenges in the franchise's video game segment.