Overview
- Goldin’s 41–42 day auction closed early Feb. 16 after an extended final window, with 97 bids pushing the total to $16,492,000 including buyer’s premium.
- Guinness World Records confirmed the result as the most expensive trading card sold at auction, topping the prior $12.9 million mark.
- The winning bidder, A. J. Scaramucci, revealed himself on the livestream and described the purchase as the opening move in a broader “treasure hunt.”
- The card is one of roughly 39 awarded in a 1998 CoroCoro contest and the only known PSA Gem Mint 10; it sold with Paul’s diamond-encrusted necklace and he pledged hand delivery.
- Paul acquired the card in 2021 for $5.275 million; news reports estimate he clears more than $8 million after fees, and coverage notes Goldin provided a $2.5 million advance and raises reported questions about prior fractional-stake claims.