Overview
- Goldin Auctions reported a $13.3 million hammer price plus a 24% buyer’s premium to reach $16,492,000.
- The online sale ran about six weeks and closed after hours of extended last‑minute bidding, with 97 total bids logged.
- Issued in 1998 as a CoroCoro Comic contest prize with art by Atsuko Nishida, the Pikachu Illustrator exists in only a few dozen copies.
- Paul included the diamond‑encrusted necklace and case he wore at WrestleMania 38, and a Guinness adjudicator confirmed the record live on his stream.
- Paul previously fractionalized a 5.4% stake via Liquid Marketplace and said he repurchased it in 2024, clarifying full ownership before the auction.