No athlete has commanded more attention from collectors recently than Shohei Ohtani. And while his 50-50 ball heading to auction has been the biggest story, a record-setting sale has highlighted a surging card market for Ohtani, too.
Here’s a look at the top public sales for Ohtani cards, according to Card Ladder.
1. 2018 Topps Chrome Sapphire Rookie Autograph Superfractor 1/1 BGS 9.5/10
Price: $336,000
Among the best-timed auctions ever, this Superfractor — and possibly Ohtani’s single best card in existence — sold for a record $336,000 at the “Holy Grails” auction from Fanatics Collect and Sotheby’s earlier this week.
Sold by well-known card collector DJ Skee, this card was originally purchased for $60,000 and flipped in the aftermath of Ohtani founding the 50-50 club.
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2. 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph Red Refractor /5 PSA 9
Price: $312,000
A wonderful color match to his Angels jersey, this card is also among Ohtani’s best ever created. This exact copy has also had a number of owners, selling four times publicly since 2021 for the second, third, fourth and fifth most expensive Ohtani sales on record.
After setting the record for any Ohtani card with a $312,000 sale at PWCC in 2021, the card was flipped for $240,000 in June 2022 before selling for $276,000 in Oct. 2022 at PWCC. This card most recently sold for $276,000 (for the second time) in May 2023.
3. 2018 Topps Chrome Base (Pitching) Superfractor 1/1 BGS 9.5
Price: $190,000
Despite many collectors preferring cards of Ohtani batting over pitching, this Superfractor, which features him on the mound, would likely come close to matching the all-time record sale if it were to head to auction again.
This card originally sold for $190,000 in May 2021 on eBay but was flipped for a loss in 2022, selling at Goldin for $139,200.
4. 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph Red Refractor /5 BGS 9.5
Price: $184,800
Again sporting a beautiful color match, this 2018 Bowman Chrome shows Ohtani preparing to swing. This example first sold at Goldin in 2022 for $144,000 before being flipped in 2023, again at Goldin, for a hefty profit after it fetched $184,800.
5. 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph Orange Refractor /25 PSA 10
Price: $156,000
This is the same card as the No. 4 sale, but this time as an Orange Refractor numbered /25 instead of /5. Though it isn’t a color match, the Orange /25 is a favorite among baseball collectors, and this card has the price trajectory to prove it.
The first public sale of a PSA 10 example fetched $6,600 at PWCC in 2019. That same card was flipped for a loss just a few months later, selling for just $5,100, again at PWCC. The lone other PSA 10 example, featured here, eventually sold for $156,000 at PWCC in 2022.
6. 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph Orange Refractor /25 BGS 9.5/10
Price: $145,200
This is the same card as the No. 2 sale on this list, but numbered to /25 instead of /5. As expected, the trajectory of this card has been incredible if followed from before the card boom to today.
The first public sale of a BGS 9.5 example fetched $10,200 at PWCC in 2018, with another hitting $14,900 in 2020. The value then exploded, with this copy selling for $145,200 at Goldin in 2021.
Examples of this card have continued to slip in price, however, with one selling for $80,400 just one month after the $145,200 sale. The most recent sale for an Orange /25 was the $56,120 paid at Goldin in Oct. 2023.
7. 2018 Exquisite Collection Tribute Kanji Autograph /99 BGS 9.5
Price: $144,000
Ohtani autographs are always highly coveted, but even more so are his Kanji signatures. The two-way star doesn’t sign these often, which results in the few examples commanding extremely high prices on the secondary market.
Though this card is unlicensed, it likely commanded a premium for the Exquisite Collection reputation. A simple portrait isn’t the strongest imagery, but Upper Deck did well to make the signature the focus of the card.
8. 2018 Leaf Babe Ruth & Shohei Ohtani Dual Cut Autograph 1/1
Price: $134,750
Ohtani is often compared to Babe Ruth because of his dominance on the mound and at the plate, so it made sense Leaf would combine the two on one card.
Cut signatures for Ruth aren’t absurdly rare, but the combination here with Ohtani certainly is.
9. 2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph Gold /50 PSA 10
Price: $117,000
Among Ohtani’s most important rookies, this 2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph also features one of Topps’ most popular parallels. This Gold /50 PSA 10 sold for as much as $117,000 in Nov. 2021 but has slid in value significantly recently.
The most recent PSA 10 example to sell fetched $25,500 on eBay earlier this month, and one copy sold for just $19,520 in March.
10. 2023 Topps Definitive Collection Shohei Ohtani/Babe Ruth Dual Autograph 1/1
Price: $113,460
Another card featuring a cut signature from Babe Ruth, this dual autograph from Definitive Collection might be the best-designed Ohtani card in existence. Collectors expect nothing less from Definitive, but the balanced layout and overall elegance of the card is tough to match.
This card sold for $113,460 raw at Goldin in 2024.
Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.