economy
February 25, 2026
Are collectibles a viable asset class? The buyer of the $16.5 million Pokémon card thinks so
AJ Scaramucci thinks trading cards have experienced tremendous growth, and thus they, and other collectibles, are great alternative investments.

TL;DR
- Logan Paul sold a rare Pokémon Illustrator card for a world-record $16.5 million to AJ Scaramucci.
- Scaramucci views the card as an investment, citing the significant growth and price surges in the trading card market.
- The secondary trading market for trading cards has nearly doubled in sales volume over the last two years.
- Collectibles like trading cards are being considered legitimate alternative asset classes, with some investors seeing them as a hedge against currency devaluation.
- Financial advisors caution that collectibles should be treated as a passion first and an investment second, warning about risks like illiquidity and higher capital gains taxes (28% vs. 15-20% for stocks).
- Scaramucci plans to embark on a 'planetary treasure hunt' to collect scarce assets across various categories with his brother.
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