Sports cards have been making waves in recent years, breaking records left and right with eye-watering sales that often exceed the million-dollar mark. While many star players have had their cards fetching astronomical prices, a notable omission from the million-dollar club is none other than the immensely popular Shohei Ohtani. Despite his remarkable talent and massive fan base, Ohtani’s highest sale to date remains just shy of $400,000, a rarity in the current landscape of high-value transactions.
With the World Series showdown between the Dodgers and Yankees underway, Topps has unveiled a fascinating graphic spotlighting the most expensive cards for some of the key players in this year’s championship series.
Leading the pack is Jasson Dominguez, with his 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph commanding an impressive $474,000. The Yankees continue to dominate the list, with Aaron Judge’s card not far behind at $324,000. Juan Soto’s 1/1 Bowman Superfractor Autograph follows closely at $300,000, demonstrating the high demand for these sought-after gems.
Another standout from the Yankees roster is Anthony Volpe, whose red Bowman Chrome autograph, limited to just five copies, fetched a hefty $150,000 for a pristine PSA 10 version. Mookie Betts also makes an appearance on the list with his card selling for $123,000, showcasing the enduring appeal of top players across different teams.
Delving deeper into the card market, Juan Soto’s aforementioned autograph has an interesting backstory, with rumors circulating about alterations and regrading that led to the card being repurchased by PSA and consequently taken off the market.
Earlier this year, a groundbreaking partnership between Fanatics and Sotheby’s resulted in an auction featuring some of the most coveted cards in the industry, including several of those highlighted in Topps’ recent graphic. However, there appears to be a discrepancy in the reported figures for Shohei Ohtani’s card, as recent data from eBay and CardLadder suggest that a 2018 Topps Definitive Gold Framed Shohei Ohtani Rookie Auto BGS 9.5, numbered 13/30, sold for $350,000 on October 15, hinting that Ohtani’s card may indeed be nearing the elusive half-million mark after all.
