How Logan Paul made a million-dollar enterprise with the world’s most costly Pokémon card | EUROtoday

He is continually in search of the restrict. And when he finds it, he takes a step above it. Logan Paul as soon as walked by means of a Japanese forest the place individuals typically commit suicide, confirmed himself with a corpse and joked about it in entrance of the digital camera. The social media star later celebrated the beginning of his wrestling profession below the brilliant lights.

For his debut at WWE WrestleMania, his first massive battle, Logan Paul confirmed up with a gold chain round his neck. There was a Pokémon card hanging on it, referred to as “Illustrator Pikachu – CoroCoro Comics”. It is a collector’s merchandise, rated by consultants with the best grade, distinctive on this situation. And it’s exactly this instance that’s now placing the American within the headlines once more – and once more at a restrict.

Logan Paul bought the copy in Italy in July 2021 in alternate for a similar card with minor defects and made a further fee of 4 million {dollars} (roughly 3.37 million euros). That corresponded to a worth on the time of virtually 5.3 million {dollars} (round 4.44 million euros). It was a world report – at the least till now.

Never earlier than had anybody spent extra money on a Pokémon card. Logan Paul staged the acquisition as a triumph, as proof of standing and class. The card dates from 1998. Only winners of a Japanese illustration competitors obtained the cardboard at the moment. Therefore solely only a few copies exist. However, it’s thought-about distinctive on this high quality. Collectors name them the Holy Grail.

Pokémon card gross sales set world report

The social media star used this for his picture on the time. He confirmed the map in a number of movies, in interviews, and later in a Netflix sequence. The map grew to become a part of his narrative and remained a part of his manufacturing for years. Now Logan Paul put the cardboard up for public sale once more, working with Goldin. The New Jersey public sale home spoke of events from all around the world.

Bids got here in, hesitantly at first, then sooner. Within a couple of days, the worth rose from a couple of hundred thousand {dollars} to a number of million. The public sale lasted 41 days. Shortly earlier than the tip, a last wave set in. The hammer lastly fell at $13.3 million. In addition, there was the public sale home’s premium. The last whole was $16.492 million.

Sales not solely exceeded the cardboard’s personal world report, it additionally made it a logo of the increase in uncommon collector’s objects. Goldin Auctions referred to as it one of many “most significant transactions in the history of the hobby.”

But the sale doesn’t simply trigger admiration. There has been huge criticism on social networks for a couple of days now, which is harking back to one other chapter within the somewhat erratic enterprise profession. Because: In 2022 he marketed a challenge along with his personal NFTs, i.e. non-fungible tokens, referred to as “CryptoZoo”.

Logan Paul’s entrepreneurial previous

Buyers ought to use these tokens to buy digital “eggs” from which digital animals ought to hatch. By combining the figures, customers ought to be capable to generate new tokens and earn earnings. The challenge was marketed as a mix of a accumulating sport and a income mannequin.

To take part, all events needed to spend money on cryptocurrencies. According to critics, a complete of a number of million {dollars} flowed into the challenge. But the introduced sport was by no means (at the least not but) launched within the promised type. Various features have been lacking, all payouts didn’t happen – and that is the place the circle closes with the Pokémon card.

Because: The distinctive collector’s merchandise was additionally a part of such a mannequin at occasions. Collectibles could possibly be bought within the type of digital tokens by way of Paul’s personal platform, Liquid Marketplace. The idea promised participation in worthwhile objects with out bodily proudly owning them. However, the platform later bumped into monetary difficulties. According to constant media studies, some traders remained sitting on their shares.

Against this background, the brand new report worth appears much less like a sporting success to some, however somewhat like a restrict that Logan Paul has scratched at the least as soon as. While he has now realized a double-digit million revenue, some followers really feel exploited. After all, they have been hoping to profit from the mega-hype surrounding the buying and selling card.

Because: Pokémon playing cards from older generations particularly, that are nonetheless in superb situation, are generally price unbelievable sums today. In addition to the “Illustrator CoroCoro Comics Promo,” there are a number of different playing cards which can be price a fortune. The “1st Edition Shadowless” of the Pokémon Charizard (Charizard) from the 1999 base set was final offered for a whopping $369,000, a Turtok card, the so-called “Blastoise Wizards of the Coast Presentation Galaxy Star” card from 1998 for $360,000.

The newer the playing cards, the decrease the worth is commonly. There is a cause for this: world manufacturing of latest Pokémon playing cards has elevated massively since 2018. While round 1.5 billion playing cards have been produced in 2019, there have been already 9.1 billion in 2022. In 2024, manufacturing reached a brand new excessive of 11.9 billion playing cards – greater than 5 occasions the 2018 degree.

Which buying and selling playing cards are notably widespread

This implies that Pokémon clearly dominates the buying and selling card market. But: The business is much more various. “Magic: The Gathering” is taken into account essentially the most demanding system. The oldest playing cards from the 90s fetch prime costs. Examples from the Alpha, Beta and Arabian Nights units are notably widespread. Experienced collectors with an understanding of the sport typically make investments right here.

Plus, sports activities playing cards are making a comeback. Basketball, baseball and American soccer are main the best way worldwide, however soccer buying and selling playing cards are additionally gaining in significance. The increase was fueled by the pandemic as individuals rediscovered historical treasures at residence. And additionally “Yu-Gi-Oh!” and different anime franchises have loyal collector communities, however are often priced one step under the market leaders.

As tempting because it sounds to make massive income with taking part in playing cards, the pitfalls of the market are simply as nice. The excessive volatility makes buying and selling playing cards a high-risk funding. Prices can fluctuate by 50 p.c inside weeks. What is in demand right now could also be out of trend tomorrow. In addition, the danger of falling for counterfeits is large. Even consultants have nice issue figuring out good replicas.

In addition, a lot to the annoyance of regular card gamers, along with particular person playing cards as an funding, a big market has now developed that trades nonetheless sealed Pokémon booster packs. Even when new units are launched, regardless of the large manufacturing portions, they’re offered out or can solely be discovered at overpriced costs on the secondary market. Old-generation sealed packs are generally offered for tens of hundreds of {dollars}, assuming that they comprise worthwhile and, above all, well-preserved playing cards. Logan Paul opened unopened booster packs reportedly price $1.5 million as a PR measure to promote his Pokémon card.

As in all collector markets, there’s additionally very restricted liquidity. A inventory sells in seconds, a high-priced card wants the appropriate purchaser. To keep the worth, you must also spend money on storage and insurance coverage. Valuable playing cards ideally belong in climate-controlled safes and require particular insurance coverage {and professional} value determinations. These are all prices that scale back the return.

This article was written for WELT’s enterprise competence middle and “Business Insider Germany“created.

Lea M. Oetjen has been writing as an editor for WELT since 2025. She received the “Axel Springer Prize” for her work. The journal “Wirtschaftsjournalist:in” named her within the “Top 30 to 30” checklist of younger skills in 2026. Thematically, their focus lies someplace in between Finance, property, Investment, Business, Stock market and social media. She is co-host of the WELT podcast “Everything on shares“.