Shohei Ohtani has become one of the most popular and most dominant baseball players in America. The Los Angeles Angels’ super-star is frequently mentioned alongside Babe Ruth for his pitching and hitting greatness. It is up for debate as to just how many variations of a rookie card is too many for one player. Despite a list of rookies that is too many for one person to keep up with, demand for Ohtani rookie and low-population cards remains intense.
This article has been updated to reflect prices after the buyer’s premium.
Goldin Auctions has just finished part of its August 28 and 29 auction. Lot #18 was a 2018 Shohei Ohtani PSA Graded Rookie Card Set. This is not just any set. It holds 59 cards, and it is listed as the #1 Ohtani rookie set on the PSA Set Registry.
Along with many PSA 10 cards, there and many “low-pop” cards 6 cards unique “1 of 1” populations to be exact. That means this particular rookie set will be impossible to recreate. Within the set are multiple signed Ohtani cards, as we all as numbered cards and patch cards.
Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. That means that the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds is being invested into high-end collectibles. True sports collectors and hobbyists have a passion to own certain cards or memorabilia for years and years. Investors are looking to make a profit, and there are many instances where collectors have to fight with investors to win the same exact asset.
THE PRICE & THE PRIZE!
We will update the price as it is adjusted within Goldin’s system, but the sale price was listed as $76,000 (see update below considering the buyer’s premium). What is hard to analyze about this set in particular is that it includes so many “1 of 1” cards that cannot be replaced. Final price including the buyer’s premium was $93,480.00.
The value of the “1 of 1” cards alone might be able to mirror or surpass the entire auction price ahead on the right day and under the right circumstances. The flip side is that the seller may have wanted to lock in a great price while prices are high. Buying and selling any investment comes with no guaranteed profits.
The description said of the 59 Shohei Ohtani rookie card lot said:
Together, these cards comprise the number one Shohei Ohtani Rookie Set in the PSA Set Registry! The collection is, by PSA’s ranking, peerless, with a 93.65% completion rate and a weighted GPA of 9.66. With Top Pop bonuses taken into account, the weighted GPA is an outstanding 10.90.
UNIQUE 1/1 OHTANI ROOKIE CARDS
Goldin also noted along with the “1 of 1” cards that no cards have equal to or higher grades in the PSA population report. Those cards were shown as follows:
- 2018 Panini Cornerstones Shohei Ohtani Jersey Autograph #25,
- 2018 Panini National Treasures Rookie Materials Signatures #48,
- 2018 Topps Dynasty Autograph Patches #SO1,
- 2018 Topps Dynasty Autograph Patches #SO3,
- 2018 Topps Dynasty Autograph Patches #SO4,
- and 2018 Topps Five Star Autographs #FSA-SO.
AND TO FINALIZE IT…
To blend the dominance of this set even further, the report noted that this lot had an additional 48 cards which have no cards graded higher even if there are other cards which exist in their grading tiers.
We will update the price of this auction as the final numbers come into play. It is very difficult to place a value on unique cards that have a mere “1 of 1” population. One buyer might pay $1,000 to $2,000 and other buyers may value them at ten-times higher (or more).
The image provided here is from the Goldin Auctions images of the set.
