WWE professional wrestler and avid Pokemon Trading Card Game collector Logan Paul gifted his one-year-old daughter, Esme, a rare Shining Magikarp card for Christmas. Paul posted a video of the exchange on social media, which revealed that the Shining Magikarp card was worth approximately $9,000 based on recent sales on the Pokemon TCG market.
Known as the Fish Pokemon, Magikarp first appeared in Pokemon Red and Blue. Initially a weak Water-type Pokemon, Magikarp subsequently evolves into Gyarados, giving it a new appearance and vastly improved power. In Pokemon Gold and Silver, Shiny Pokemon were introduced to the franchise, with Shiny Magikarp receiving a rare, golden-scaled form. The golden-colored Fish Pokemon has since proven popular among Pokemon fans, with some creating various projects based around Shiny Magikarp. Shiny Magikarp first appeared in the Pokemon TCG in the Neo Revelations set as Shining Magikarp, a Basic Pokemon with 30 HP. Neo Revelation was first released in English in September 2001, and is the third set in the Neo series based on Pokemon Gold and Silver. Shining Magikarp and Shining Gyarados were considered the “secret rare” cards of the Neo Revelation expansion.
Logan Paul Gives His One-Year-Old Daughter A Valuable Pokemon Card For Christmas
On December 26, Paul shared an Instagram video of a Christmas gift he gave to his daughter Esme, a PSA 10 Graded Shining Magikarp Pokemon TCG card in a case. Paul said that the Shining Magikarp card was due to Esme choosing Magikarp as her Starter Pokemon, and the video stated that the Shining Magikarp had an estimated market value of around $9,000. According to TCGPlayer, Shining Magikarp cards of various qualities can be purchased as low as $183.64 after shipping. Paul, a notoriously avid collector of rare Pokemon cards like Illustrator Pikachu, had previously stated that Pokemon TCG products have a high return on investment overall. Paul paid $5.3 million for his prized Illustrator Pikachu card in 2022, and said he plans to auction it off in February 2026. It remains to be seen how much money Paul will make from his Illustrator Pikachu auction, and if it will come close to the $5.3 million figure he initially paid.
Although the former WWE United States Champion has not been shy about his passion for the Pokemon franchise overall, not all of Paul’s ventures into the Pokemon TCG have proven successful. In November 2025, Paul entered a $34,700 bid for a Kabuto card during a charity auction hosted by Kabuto King on eBay. However, Paul was outbid by a Twitter user named cards.fun, who won the Kabuto card with a bid of $51,100. Kabuto King stated that, while Paul didn’t win, his bid helped bring attention to the Kabuto card auction. Proceeds from the Kabuto card auction subsequently went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The Pokemon TCG Keeps Going Despite Scalping Risks
Unsurprisingly, with Pokemon TCG products becoming a popular commodity with collectors and fans, they have also become an evergreen target for scalpers to sell them at much higher prices. This has forced some retailers to place purchase limits on various Pokemon TCG packs and decks, or lock early access to some sets behind a subscription like Walmart+. By comparison, GameStop issued a stark warning to scalpers via a November 2025 social media post, and said that it would ban scalpers from their stores if they are caught using a scale to weigh various packs.
Pokemon TCG products are expected to remain valuable going into 2026, as the Pokemon franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary. As part of the festivities, Pokemon TCG will potentially collaborate with McDonald’s by including promo cards and packs via Happy Meals. Given that this potentially requires a meal purchase, it remains to be seen what limitations will be put in place by McDonald’s to deter scalpers from going after Pokemon TCG packs.
