In an unusual turn of events, a 3-inch Flamin’ Hot Cheeto resembling the Pokémon character Charizard sold for a staggering $87,840 at an auction. The Cheeto, which initially garnered a $72,000 bid, saw its price rise due to a buyer’s premium, boosting the total sale price.
Discovered by the Georgia-based collectibles store, 1st and Goal Collectibles, between 2018 and 2022, the Cheeto went up for auction on February 10 with an initial listing price of $250. According to Goldin, the auction house that handled the sale, the Cheeto was naturally shaped like Charizard and had not been intentionally modified.
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The snack gained viral attention in 2024 after workers at the store rediscovered it while sorting through a safe. To preserve the quirky item, the company upgraded its enclosure, adding a Pokémon card-inspired nameplate before putting it up for auction.
Despite the impressive sale price, this is not the highest amount ever paid for a uniquely shaped Cheeto. In 2017, a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto resembling the late gorilla Harambe sold for $99,900, although questions surround the legitimacy of that sale after the seller claimed the winning bidder withdrew.
As odd as it may seem, the market for uniquely shaped Cheetos is alive and well, with collectors turning to auctions and platforms like eBay to snag the next quirky snack treasure.
