Raiders star hits jackpot, acquires rare $1 million Pokemon card
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Blake Martinez is one serious Pokemon fan. The 28-year-old is also the proud owner of an extremely rare card.
Martinez recently had one of his Pokemon cards authenticated and the price is staggering. The single card, of whose kind there are only a few in existence, is worth a cool $1 million. What is the card you say? A Pokemon Illustrator.
The Raiders star is an avid fan and when asked about the card, he stated that he didn't exactly know what the card was worth when he approached the seller. Martinez only knew one thing - that he wanted it.
Martinez said via reviewjournal.com:
“I didn’t know exactly how it was gonna turn out. I didn’t know what it was gonna get graded, or what quality it was. I just wanted one of those.”
#NFL linebacker Blake Martinez @Big__Blake50, recently signed by Las Vegas @Raiders, is revealed as owner of one of the most famous, valuable modern trading cards, a #Pokémon Illustrator, authenticated by experts at @CGCCards who estimate its value at $1 million or more. https://t.co/YIyEdSd2C1
Raiders star gets Pokemon card authenticated and graded
The Raiders linebacker took the card to get it authenticated and graded at CGC Trading Cards. Vice-president of the company, Matthew Quinn, said that it was basically the holy grail of Pokemon card collecting.
“This is pretty much the holy grail of Pokémon card collecting. It is in gem mint condition, one of the finest known. It is gorgeous, stunning, a 9.5 on the 10-point grading scale. We estimate it would bring $1 million or more in an auction."
Now with a single card that is this valuable, it is likely that Martinez will have it under lock and key in a safe place with a dozen security guards. With each passing year, it is thought that the card will only increase in value, which is a good thing for Martinez.
Although given the linebacker's love for the series and his treasured card, it is unlikely that he will ever sell it, so the value is likely irrelevant to him.
Nevertheless, it is a great piece of memorabilia that the 28-year-old owns and one that, as you can tell by his reaction in the video above, he is absolutely giddy about having.