When your name is Shohei Ohtani, it takes something otherworldly to make a significant impact on your card market.
With the hype of “Japanese Babe Ruth,” two MVPs (and a third on the way) and a $700 million contract, Ohtani's collectability has never been in question.
But what Ohtani accomplished Thursday by hitting three home runs and stealing two bases to become the founding member of the 50-50 Club in astounding fashion, was enough to power some serious excitement into his already cash-laden market.
Not to mention, after more dramatics over the weekend, Ohtani has 53 home runs and 55 stolen bases, with six games remaining. That should terrify the holder of home run ball no. 50, who could see the value of their ball plummet should the Los Angeles Dodgers DH go on a tear and threaten to put stakes in the ground for the 55-55 or 60-60 Club.
Though none of Ohtani's recent card sales have cracked the top rankings of his all-time list, that’s not exactly a great measuring stick considering it has been less than a week since his 50th home run, and few players have been able to overcome the highs of their 2021 and 2022 prices.
Ohtani’s Card Ladder player index, made up of 90 cards deemed to best represent his card market over time, shows an increase of more than 20% in the past six months. Over that same time period, the CL50, CardLadder’s “50 hand-selected cards that best represent the card market,” is essentially flat.
The same goes for the baseball index, which is at just under 1% growth in the past six months.
These indices are tougher to use as solid measuring sticks when using more recent and shorter time periods, however, it does show Ohtani’s index is up over 9.5% in the past week.
RELATED STORIES:
- 'Took the ball from my hand': Inside the fight for Shohei Ohtani's $1m home run ball
- Shohei Ohtani becomes first to 50-50 with huge day: What is 50th HR ball worth?
- Shohei Ohtani rookie cards: A buying guide to Dodgers star's first collectibles
Now, a look at some of his top sales:
2018 UD Goodwin Champions Shohei Ohtani Exquisite Kanji Auto PSA/DNA 8/10
Much has been made of Ohtani’s Kanji signature, which is believed to have been used on only a handful of his rookie cards (supposedly just the first 10 of the 99), adding allure to those few for many collectors. This card, graded PSA 8, 10 Auto, sold for $93,000 at Fanatics Premier the night of his 50-50 Club achievement. The same exact card last sold almost exactly a year ago for $28,800.
The sale marked an all-time high for the card in a PSA slab and second for the card in any grade, beaten only by a BGS 9.5 example which sold for $144,000 via Fanatics Premier last month (Ohtani’s top sale of 2024 and his ninth highest sale all time).
Removing sales where Ohtani appears alongside another player, this $93,000 sale is his 15th highest of all time.
2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani Atomic Refractor PSA 10
On Friday night, a PSA 10 example of Ohtani’s Bowman Chrome Atomic Refractor /100 sold for $46,227.87 on eBay.
One of just 12 at the grade, that sale marks a record for the card in any condition, including another PSA 10 which sold in July 2021 — the previous record holder — which had the benefit of one of the frothiest card markets imaginable.
Two days later, another copy, this time graded a BGS 9.5 (population: 34), sold for $28,200, the third highest price paid for the card in history and a record for the grade.
2018 Topps Transcendent Shohei Ohtani Japan Platinum Auto PSA 10
It’s hard to imagine better timing for the seller than to have decided to include this 1/1 in the Fanatics Premier auction the night of the most consequential game of Ohtani’s career.
The card has sold twice previously, first in December 2021 for $8,488. Then, less than six months later, for $8,100 in May 2022.
It had been more than two years since the card had come up for sale publicly, and the owner cashed in, destroying the record for the card and nabbing more than 400% the last comp at $34,500.
2018 Topps Heritage Shohei Ohtani Real One Auto PSA 9
Limited to a production of just 69, this PSA 9 example was accompanied by an MBA Gold eye appeal designation and outsold any past comp at its grade, including BGS 9.5 examples, with only PSA 10 copies surpassing its $17,499.99 price.
2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani Orange Refractor PSA 10
This PSA 10 (Pop: 11) Ohtani rookie sold for $15,600 on eBay on Sunday night. The sale marked the second-highest price ever paid for the card (behind only another PSA 10 sold in October 2021 for $20,400) and a sizable uptick from the last comp, which came in May 2024 for $11,250.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.