Shohei Ohtani Angels Rookie Card Sets Record, Goes for $3.3M in Private Sale
A 2018 Shohei Ohtani rookie card has sold for a record $3,365,000 in a private sale brokered by Fanatics Connect.
According to Larry Holder of The Athletic, the sale focused on a 2018 Bowman Chrome Superfractor batting variation one-of-one rookie card with a Beckett 9.5 (Gem Mint) grade.
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That is now the most expensive Ohtani card ever, shattering the previous record of $3 million (including buyer's premium) for a Topps Chrome Gold Logoman Autograph card sold at auction last December, per Bryan Horowitz of MLB.com.
"Ohtani's 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie cards are widely considered his most desirable, and this is the rarest version of the batting variation card produced," Holder wrote. "Demand for Ohtani cards is so high right now that even the far more plentiful base version of this card currently sells for around $2,000 ungraded."
Ohtani entered the major leagues with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 and earned American League Rookie of the Year honors. In addition to his four MVPs, Ohtani has also won four Silver Slugger awards and made six All-Star Games.
The Dodgers also took back-to-back World Series titles in 2024 and 2025 after Ohtani's arrival and currently hold MLB's best record at 61-36.
His dominance has continued this season. Ohtani sports a .953 OPS with 22 home runs and 58 RBI at the dish while crushing opposing hitters on the mound with an 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA (0.95 WHIP) and 95 strikeouts over 14 starts (85.2 innings).
