Latest news with #1standGoalCollectibles
Express Tribune
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Cheeto shaped like Pokémon Charizard sells for $88K at auction
Listen to article A 3-inch Flamin' Hot Cheeto shaped like Charizard sold for $87,840 at an auction on Sunday. The final bid, which was initially $72,000, was boosted by a buyer's premium, bringing the total to $87,840. The Cheeto, which went up for auction on February 10 with an initial price of $250, was discovered by Georgia-based collectibles store, 1st and Goal Collectibles, sometime between 2018 and 2022. A representative from Goldin told Polygon that the Cheeto was not intentionally modified to resemble Charizard but was found in its natural shape. The Cheeto went viral in 2024 after it was rediscovered by the store's workers while going through a safe. The company then upgraded its enclosure to preserve the Cheeto and added a custom nameplate inspired by Pokémon cards. Eventually, it was auctioned off at the Goldin auction house. Despite the hefty price tag, the Pokémon-shaped Cheeto does not hold the title for the highest-selling Cheeto. In 2017, a Flamin' Hot Cheeto in the shape of the late gorilla Harambe sold for $99,900, although the legitimacy of the sale is unclear, as the seller claimed the winning bidder backed out. While there may not be many collectors specifically searching for Cheetos with unique shapes, the market clearly exists. Frito-Lay previously ran a Cheetos Museum to showcase uniquely shaped snacks and awarded $150,000 in prize money for the top 10 Cheeto shapes submitted by the public. Now, collectors are turning to auction houses and online platforms like eBay to find the next snack sensation.
New York Times
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Cheeto Shaped Like the Pokemon Charizard Sells for Nearly $90,000
Jordan Tkacsik was perusing his friend Paul Bartlett's sports memorabilia and trading card shop last year when he noticed something unusual in a section full of Pokémon collectibles. It was a Cheetos cheese puff, but not just any Cheeto. Rather, it was a Flamin' Hot Cheeto that bore an uncanny resemblance to Charizard, an orange dragon-like creature that is one of the Pokémon universe's original and most beloved characters. The Cheeto itself was housed in a small plastic container — 'It sort of looked like a travel-size Q-Tip case,' Mr. Tkacsik said — and the three-inch cheesy treat even had a name: Cheetozard. Mr. Tkacsik was not exactly a Pokémon aficionado, but he knew it was an unusual item. He could also sense that it was important to Mr. Bartlett, the owner of 1st and Goal Collectibles in Canton, Ga. So Mr. Tkacsik offered to design and build an improved case for Cheetozard. 'I sort of made it my mission to see if I could do it,' he said. Still, Mr. Tkacsik had no way of knowing that Cheetozard was bound for global celebrity. On Sunday, the dragon-shaped snack sold at auction for $72,000 (plus fees that pushed the price to nearly $90,000) amid a bidding frenzy. Goldin Auctions, which sold the Cheeto, declined to disclose the buyer's and seller's identities, citing client confidentiality. But at a time when a banana taped to a wall can fetch $6.2 million, a Pokémon-themed Cheeto selling for a mere five figures might be considered a bargain. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
