Cheetos are known for their unique shapes and sizes, but one particular Flamin’ Hot Cheeto caught the attention of a snacker a few years ago. Resembling Charizard, a dragon-like character from Pokémon, this three-inch red Cheeto was dubbed the “Cheetozard” and recently sold for an impressive $87,840 at auction.
The journey of the Cheetozard is shrouded in mystery, with its original discoverer unknown. However, it eventually made its way into the hands of Paul Bartlett, who owns a sports memorabilia and trading card shop in Georgia. Bartlett purchased the Cheetozard on eBay for $350 in 2019 and stored it in a safe, forgetting about it until last year when he rediscovered it. A viral Instagram post of the Cheetozard led Bartlett to realize the need for a better protective case, which his friend Jordan Tkacsik designed using a computer-assisted program.
After unsuccessful attempts to have collectibles companies create a custom case for the Cheetozard, Bartlett decided to sell it. The Cheetozard was included in a pop culture auction organized by Goldin Auctions, starting bidding at $250 and eventually selling for $72,000 plus $15,840 in fees. The Cheetozard was sold inside the custom case designed by Tkacsik, along with a unique Cheetozard Pokémon card.
The sale of the Cheetozard marked it as the most expensive food item ever sold by Goldin Auctions. Dave Amerman, the head of consignment at Goldin, highlighted the item’s uniqueness in bridging two fandoms—Pokémon and Cheetos. The snack brand’s official Instagram account responded to the sale with a pair of eyes emoji and expressed excitement over fans finding fun shapes and sizes in their Cheetos.
Charizard, the inspiration for the Cheetozard, is a popular character from Pokémon known for its dragon-like appearance and fiery attributes. The sale of the Cheetozard follows a trend of unusual Cheetos selling for high prices, such as a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto resembling Harambe that sold for $99,900 on eBay in 2017.
Currently, other unique Cheetos are listed for sale on eBay, including ones shaped like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Godzilla. Goldin Auctions recently listed a Michael Jordan Cheeto for sale, resembling the basketball star in his iconic “Jumpman” pose. With a bid of over $5,500, this Cheeto continues the trend of quirky snack items fetching high prices at auction.
In conclusion, the sale of the Cheetozard highlights the fascination with unique food items and their appeal to collectors. The blending of Pokémon and Cheetos fandoms in this auctioned item showcases the creativity and excitement surrounding such rare finds.
