Sports cards are no longer just pieces of cardboard; they have metamorphosed into highly valuable assets, fetching prices that can make even a millionaire’s wallet shiver. Among the top players in the league, there is one conspicuous absence from the million-dollar club – Shohei Ohtani, often regarded as a baseball sensation. Despite his prowess and massive fan base, Ohtani’s highest sold card lags below $400,000, a peculiarity in this era of exorbitant sports card transactions.
As the Los Angeles Dodgers lock horns with the New York Yankees in the World Series, the renowned card manufacturer Topps has unveiled a sensational graphic displaying the priciest cards of some key players in this season’s showdown:
– Jasson Dominguez: $474,000
– Aaron Judge: $324,000
– Juan Soto: $300,000
– Anthony Volpe: $150,000
– Mookie Betts: $123,000
The Yankees’ stars dominate the upper echelons of the list, spearheaded by Jasson Dominguez, whose 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph commanded an extraordinary $474,000. Anthony Volpe’s red Bowman Chrome autograph, limited to just five copies, drew a hefty $150,000 for a PSA 10 version, further solidifying the Yankees’ representation in the high-value sports card realm.
Juan Soto’s 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph carries an intriguing anecdote, as reports suggest that the autograph underwent alterations and subsequent regrading. Speculation surrounds the card’s disappearance from the market, with rumors swirling that PSA repurchased it, rendering it unattainable for collectors.
Earlier in the year, the collaboration between Fanatics and Sotheby’s birthed an auction featuring several of the most covetable cards in the industry, including some listed in Topps’ illustrative graphic. Nonetheless, a notable disparity arises in the sales figures attributed to Shohei Ohtani’s card. Recent insights gleaned from eBay and CardLadder indicate that a 2018 Topps Definitive Gold Framed Shohei Ohtani Rookie Auto BGS 9.5, numbered 13/30, changed hands for a staggering $350,000 on October 15. This revelation hints that Ohtani’s most lucrative sale may indeed approach the elusive half-million mark, challenging the established hierarchy of sports card valuations.