Blake Martinez Sells $672,000 USD Pokémon Illustrator Card and Retires from the NFL
After seven seasons in the NLF Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Blake Martinez has retired from professional football to focus on family and his future passions -- and one of those passions is selling and trading Pokémon cards.
This news comes just weeks after Martinez cashed out on a super rare Pokémon Illustrator card. His version, nicknamed "The Swirllustrator," features two swirls on the artwork, making the already-rare card even more unique. The CGC-rated 9.5 "Gem Mint" was auctioned at Goldin for a hefty sum of $672,000 USD.
So it seems retirement is treating Martinez well. At 28 years old, this new passion is a less physically-taxing source of income, and if he can continue to find these gems, it may even be more lucrative than his earnings with the NFL.
Final Sale Price for the Illustrator Pikachu a.k.a The Swirllustrator: $672,000 pic.twitter.com/VXjhYbUeZk
— Goldin (@GoldinCo) October 30, 2022
Did Blake Martinez retire from the NFL to sell Pokemon cards? ? pic.twitter.com/cWGotfO85P
— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) November 19, 2022
Blake Martinez recently retired from the NFL, and his INSANE Pokémon collection worth well over $1M is the reason why ? @Big__Blake50https://t.co/BMap50W7y1 pic.twitter.com/LQ0VMdFM9Z
— Whistle Blitz (@WhistleBlitz) November 18, 2022
In other news, here are 8 things to look forward to in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
