“I have a hard time staying in one lane,” says Coby Bull.
Surveying the Aladdin’s cave of collectibles that the 32-year-old entrepreneur has retrieved from various vaults and arranged in his London home for this shoot – first-edition comics and books, art, sports memorabilia, rare whiskey, VHS videos, vinyl records, movie props, autographs, and a certain Pokémon card that by itself is likely worth many millions of dollars – the only reasonable response is: “No shit.”
“I love cards but I also love rare books.” he says. “So to have this particular Pokémon card next to a first edition Catcher in the Rye, next to a sketch drawn by James Stewart [from the film Harvey] – I guess you won’t see that anywhere else in the world.”
The Pokémon card in question is in a small metal box on his desk, encased in a plastic frame. It’s an Illustrator, so named because it’s one of around 40 that were prizes for a Japanese illustration competition from 1998. “They were given to school children, so they were just thrown in their backpacks. When you get a high-quality one, it’s quite notable,” says Bull with a certain understatement. “I did seven flights in five days to pick this up and have it looked at. I can’t say much as there are NDAs, but it was in the States, in a little town I’d never heard of.”
See also: How a 28-Year-Old Collector Built One of the Rarest Vintage Patek Philippe Collections
It’s rated nine out of ten by Beckett, one of the leading grading companies, making it among the best available anywhere. There is, however, another Illustrator that is already internationally famous. YouTuber-turned-wrestler- turned-boxer Logan Paul purchased an Illustrator graded ten by a rival company, Professional Sports Authenticator, in 2022 – the only certified ten in the world. When Paul wore it on a diamond necklace at WrestleMania, he created an unprecedented level of global hype around what had been a niche hobby for kids and collectors. He’s now put both card and necklace up for auction – by the time Elite Traveler went to press, bidding had reached $6m, exceeding the previous record set by Logan’s own acquisition.
Bull believes his to be a match for Paul’s. “My card is the highest-graded [by Beckett] card in existence,” he says. “Logan’s is a ten, mine’s a nine, but I think mine’s worth as much as his.”
We may yet find out. Depending on the result of the auction, Bull may put his up for sale through his new venture, Edition One. “It’s going to be a private member’s club where you can watch Formula 1 or soccer, have a good whiskey or cigar, and play the golf simulator.” Sports memorabilia of your favorite team can be placed in the screening room, and cards can be purchased on site, to add some drama to the evening. “There’s a product called Topps Dynasty F1. You pay $3,000 a box and you get one card, which could be worth $100k if it’s a Lewis Hamilton one-of-one, but it could be something less rare worth $500.” The plan is for Edition One to be part club, part gallery and part store when it opens in London later in the year.
Before that though, there’s much more to see. In a glass cube, a papier-mâché model of the moon, a home-crafted gift from a daughter to her father – Buzz Aldrin. A Darth Vader helmet, signed ‘May The Force Be With You’ by James Earl Jones, the voice behind the mask. First editions of Spiderman, X-Men, Iron Man, Superman, Fantastic Four. A Picasso and some Damian Hirsts on the walls. The manuscript for The Godfather. A basketball signed by Barack Obama and LeBron James. Boxing gloves signed by Muhammad Ali plus a ticket for Cassius Clay’s first fight as Ali, the ‘Phantom Punch’ rematch against Sonnie Liston on May 25, 1965. Winston Churchill’s chewed cigar, bought from his former secretary and DNA-tested for authenticity.
See also: Why Porsche 911 Restomods Are Every Collector’s Dream
Bull cites his father as his inspiration. “He never let me have anything just to have it. When my friends got PlayStations he said, ‘You can have one. It’s five weeks of work in the markets with me.’” His father and grandfather had a stall selling fabric and coats, which turned into a business providing clothing for films and sports stars. “I was eight and I’d get up at 2am, we’d drive two hours to the market, set up the stall and I’d watch them sell.”
Related Story
Regular trips to Miami ignited a life-long love of Americana which began with action figures, comics, and basketball cards. And while his collecting might seem indiscriminate, there’s a philosophy present that hasn’t changed since those first purchases: Buy what you like. “I’ve got Orson Welles’ glasses coming in,” he says. “With a note he wrote to his assistant telling him to leave him alone, he’s going to sleep. I thought that would be cool.”
