A Flamin’ Hot Cheeto shaped like Pokémon’s Charizard sold at Goldin for a $72,000 winning bid in March 2025. With the buyer’s premium added, the reported total was $87,840—about $88,000. Nicknamed “Cheetozard,” it was sold as a prepared collectible attached to a customized Pokémon card and enclosed in a clear case.
What was the Cheetozard?
The lot was a roughly three-inch Flamin’ Hot Cheeto resembling Charizard, the Pokémon character. Goldin’s auction description, quoted by the Associated Press, said: “Presented is a 3-inch long Flamin’ Hot Cheeto in the shape of the Pokémon Charizard, affixed to a customized Pokémon card and encapsulated in a clear card storage box.”
That presentation matters: the item sold was not simply a loose snack. Goldin’s description said 1st & Goal Collectibles had acquired and preserved it sometime between 2018 and 2022; the cited account does not give a more precise discovery date. (Associated Press, March 5, 2025)
Why was the headline price $88,000?
The $72,000 figure was the winning bid, not the buyer’s full bill. Associated Press reported a total of $87,840 after the buyer’s premium was added. HotHardware reported that Goldin charged a 22% buyer’s premium for this auction; 22% of $72,000 is $15,840, bringing the total to $87,840. That is why the sale is often rounded to $88,000.
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- Includes two Pokémon figures, Squirtle and Charizard!
- These figures are highly detailed and look like they’ve jumped right out of the Pokémon Animated Series!!
- The perfect toy for any Pokémon fan!
- Officially licensed by Wicked Cool Toys, a Jazwares Company.
- Ages 4+
| Figure | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $250 | Opening bid reported for the Goldin auction | HotHardware, March 4, 2025 |
| 60 | Number of bids reported for the auction | Associated Press, March 5, 2025 |
| $72,000 | Winning bid | Associated Press, March 5, 2025 |
| $87,840 | Reported total after the buyer’s premium | Associated Press, March 5, 2025 |
What record did the sale set?
In March 2026, Guinness World Records reported that the $87,840 sale earned the record for the highest price paid for a videogame likeness corn snack. That is a narrowly defined category; it does not establish that Cheetozard was the most expensive food ever sold. (Guinness World Records, March 13, 2026)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who bought it, and where is it now?
The Associated Press account does not identify the buyer, and the cited reporting does not establish who owns the Cheetozard now. No broader statistical study of novelty-snack collectibles is cited here, so this single auction should not be treated as evidence of typical market prices.
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- (C) Nintendo, Creatures, Game Freak, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku (C) Pokémon
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