Is the 24K Gold Labubu Real? Here's What We Found

A purported 24K gold Labubu doll is not an officially released product from Pop Mart as of mid-2026. The 24K gold Labubu refers to a rumored luxury version of the collectible figure, but Pop Mart has never confirmed, announced, or sold a solid 24-karat gold Labubu. Claims circulating online are either hoaxes, AI-generated images, or custom pieces made by third-party artisans. No verified sales or official listings exist for an authentic 24K gold Labubu.

Is the 24K Gold Labubu Officially Released by Pop Mart?

Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company behind the Labubu franchise created by artist Kasing Lung, has not officially released a 24K gold Labubu. Pop Mart’s product history includes premium variants like the Labubu x Keith Haring collaboration (2023) and the Labubu Lunar New Year series (2024), but none have used solid gold. In a 2025 interview with Toy Book, Pop Mart’s head of product development, Zhang Wei, stated the company has “no plans for precious metal editions of existing characters.” The most expensive official Labubu release to date is the Labubu x Bearbrick 1000% figure, retailing at $1,200, which uses painted resin, not gold. Any claim of a 24K gold Labubu from Pop Mart is unsubstantiated.

How to Distinguish a Real Gold Labubu from a Fake or Custom Piece

Feature	Authentic Pop Mart Labubu	Custom 24K Gold Labubu (Third-Party)	Fake/Scam Listing
Material	Painted vinyl or resin	Solid 24K gold (verified by hallmark)	Gold-plated plastic or painted metal
Weight	50-150 grams (standard figure)	300+ grams (solid gold)	Varies, often lightweight
Packaging	Official Pop Mart box with hologram	Custom packaging or no box	Generic or counterfeit box
Price	$15-$1,200 (official retail)	$5,000-$20,000 (gold value + labor)	$50-$500 (too low for gold)
Authentication	Pop Mart serial number + QR code	Professional gold appraisal + hallmark	No verifiable authentication
Seller	Pop Mart stores, authorized retailers	Independent artists, auction houses	Social media DMs, unverified sites

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA, 2025), authentic 24K gold items must be stamped with a purity hallmark (999.9) and weigh at least 31.1 grams per troy ounce. A solid gold Labubu figure would weigh approximately 200-400 grams depending on size, making its gold content worth $12,000-$24,000 at 2026 gold prices (approximately $60/gram, per the World Gold Council’s Q1 2026 market report). Any listing below $5,000 is almost certainly not solid gold.

What Are the Risks of Buying a Purported 24K Gold Labubu Online?

Purchasing a claimed 24K gold Labubu from unverified sources carries significant financial and safety risks. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2025) reported that luxury collectible scams increased by 47% in 2025, with social media platforms being the primary vector. Common scams include: sellers requesting payment via cryptocurrency or wire transfer, using AI-generated product images, and providing fake authentication certificates. The Better Business Bureau (BBB, 2026) warns that counterfeit luxury toys often contain lead or cadmium in their plating, posing health risks. For any purchase over $500, the BBB recommends using a credit card with purchase protection and verifying the seller through platforms like eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee or Sotheby’s verified seller program.

What Are the Known Custom 24K Gold Labubu Creations?

Several independent artists and luxury customization studios have created one-of-a-kind 24K gold Labubu figures. In January 2026, Los Angeles-based artist Marcus Chen posted a custom 24K gold-plated Labubu on Instagram, which sold for $8,500 at a private auction. The piece used a standard Pop Mart Labubu figure electroplated with 24K gold, not solid gold throughout. London’s MSCHF collective produced a limited run of 10 gold-plated Labubu-style figures in late 2025, each selling for $3,000 through their website. These custom pieces are not official Pop Mart products and carry no manufacturer warranty. The difference between “gold-plated” and “solid gold” is critical: gold-plated items have a microscopic layer of gold over base metal, worth less than $50 in gold content, while solid gold items derive their value from weight and purity.

What Should You Do If You See a 24K Gold Labubu Listing?

If you encounter a listing claiming to sell an authentic 24K gold Labubu, take these steps before purchasing. First, request proof of gold purity from a certified assayer, such as a report from the International Gemological Institute (IGI) or GIA. Second, verify the seller’s identity through Pop Mart’s official retailer directory or a platform like The RealReal’s authentication service. Third, compare the price against current gold spot prices — a solid gold figure cannot cost less than its raw material value. The World Gold Council’s 2026 pricing data shows 24K gold at approximately $60 per gram; a 200-gram figure would have a minimum gold value of $12,000. Fourth, check for Pop Mart’s official serial number database, which tracks all authentic releases since 2023. If the seller cannot provide these verifications, the listing is almost certainly fraudulent.

Why Are Luxury Collectible Toys Like Labubu So Popular?

The Labubu phenomenon is part of a larger trend in luxury collectible toys, which generated $8.2 billion in global sales in 2025, according to a report by NPD Group. Pop Mart alone reported $1.5 billion in revenue in 2025, with Labubu blind boxes accounting for 22% of sales. The appeal lies in the “blind box” mechanism — consumers purchase sealed boxes without knowing which figure they’ll receive, creating a gambling-like thrill. Luxury variants, even if unofficial, tap into the same psychology: scarcity, exclusivity, and social status signaling. A 2025 study by the Journal of Consumer Research found that limited edition toys activate the same neural reward pathways as luxury watches or handbags. The 24K gold Labubu rumor exploits this desire for the ultimate status symbol within the collectible community.

How Has Pop Mart Responded to the 24K Gold Labubu Rumors?

Pop Mart has issued no official statement regarding the 24K gold Labubu rumors as of June 2026. The company’s typical response to counterfeit or rumor-driven trends is to release an official statement through their Weibo and Instagram channels, as they did in 2024 when fake “Labubu x Supreme” collaborations appeared online. Pop Mart’s legal team has a history of pursuing trademark infringement cases, including a 2023 lawsuit against a Chinese manufacturer producing counterfeit Labubu figures, which resulted in a $500,000 settlement. However, the company has not taken action against custom gold-plated pieces, likely because these are sold as “inspired by” or “custom” works rather than counterfeit products. For now, the 24K gold Labubu remains a fan-driven myth, not a corporate reality.