As the World Series unfolds, the excitement extends beyond the baseball diamond and into the realm of sports memorabilia. It’s no secret that sports cards have become a hot commodity, with values soaring into the stratosphere. While many superstar athletes have seen their cards reach staggering prices, there are some unexpected names making waves in the market.
One notable omission from the million-dollar club is Shohei Ohtani. Despite his incredible talent and immense popularity, Ohtani has yet to break the $400,000 mark for any of his cards. This anomaly is a rarity in an era where top athletes’ cards routinely fetch astronomical sums.
In a recent release, Topps shared a graphic highlighting the most expensive cards for select players in this year’s World Series:
1. Jasson Dominguez: $474,000
2. Aaron Judge: $324,000
3. Juan Soto: $300,000
4. Anthony Volpe: $150,000
5. Mookie Betts: $123,000
The list is dominated by Yankees players, with Jasson Dominguez leading the pack with his 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph selling for an impressive $474,000. Anthony Volpe’s red Bowman Chrome autograph, limited to just five copies, commanded $150,000 for a PSA 10 version, solidifying his status as a high-value card in the Yankees’ lineup.
Juan Soto’s 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph card comes with a unique backstory—it was reportedly altered and regraded, leading to speculation that PSA repurchased the card, rendering it no longer available on the market.
Earlier this year, Fanatics and Sotheby’s collaborated on an auction featuring some of the sports card industry’s most coveted items, several of which are featured in the Topps graphic. However, there seems to be a discrepancy in Topps’ reported figures for Shohei Ohtani’s card.
Recent data from eBay and CardLadder paint a different picture, suggesting that a 2018 Topps Definitive Gold Framed Shohei Ohtani Rookie Auto BGS 9.5, numbered 13/30, actually sold for $350,000 on October 15. This sale hints that Ohtani’s highest-valued card may be inching closer to that elusive half-million mark after all.
In the world of sports cards, each sale adds a new chapter to the ongoing saga of collectors, athletes, and the ever-changing market dynamics. As the World Series drama unfolds on the field, the thrill of chasing rare cards and capturing a piece of sports history continues to captivate fans and collectors alike.
