A Cheeto puff in the shape of an ordinary Pokémon became legendary after fetching a whopping $87,840 at a digital auction last Sunday, March 2. Aptly dubbed “Cheetozard,” the special cheese puff resembles the staple Pokémon called Charizard — a winged, fire-breathing dragon with a flame-tipped tail and a matching temper.
The sale was orchestrated through Goldin, a collectibles marketplace that specializes in sports trading cards and pop culture memorabilia. Bids for Cheetozard began on February 10, starting with a humble $250 and quickly eclipsing four- and then five-figure offers before hammering at $72,000, with the buyer’s premium hiking the final price to nearly $90,000.
A spokesperson confirmed that this was the highest sale price for a food object in Goldin’s auction history.
“Goldin specializes in rare and one-of-a-kind collectibles, and the Cheetozard is exactly this,” said Dave Amerman, head of consignment at Goldin, in a statement to Hyperallergic.
“Part of what makes this item so fun and unique is that it bridges two fandoms — Pokémon, and Cheetos,” Amerman continued. “We had people from all over the world visit our marketplace to watch this auction, demonstrating the global interest and collector desire for this item.”
Oddly familiar Cheeto shapes have long captivated humanity since the snack hit the shelves. At one point, Cheetos’s parent company Frito-Lay offered special prizes for consumers who discovered rare and recognizable shapes in their snack bags as a marketing tactic.
There’s even a niche market for them carved out on eBay, though most offerings are of the phallic, firearm, and biblical varieties. All of that is to say that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
What can we say, other than “it’s not easy being cheesy.”
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