Record-Breaking $336,000 for a Baseball Star’s Card

  • Shohei Ohtani’s 2018 trading card sells for $336,000
  • First live auction by Sotheby’s and Fanatics partnership
  • Celebrity attendees include Tom Brady, Meek Mill, and Tacko Fall

A unique Shohei Ohtani trading card from 2018 sold for an astonishing $336,000 at Sotheby’s and Fanatics’ inaugural ‘Holy Grail’ auction event in Uptown Manhattan. The 9.5 graded 2018 Topps Sapphire Superfractor card set a new record for Ohtani cards, surpassing its estimated value of $80,000-$120,000. This marks the first time an MLB player has achieved 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. Other notable sales included a 2015 Tom Brady rookie card fetching five times its estimate at $480,000 and a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card for $840,000 to actor Rob Gough.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate and objective information about a sports card auction event, including details on the prices paid for specific cards and quotes from participants. It also includes relevant background information about the partnership between Sotheby’s and Fanatics and their plans for future auctions.
Noise Level: 5
Noise Justification: The article focuses on a specific event and sports collectible card auction, which may not have significant long-term implications or provide actionable insights. It primarily reports on the prices paid for certain cards and the attendees of the event without delving into broader trends or consequences.
Public Companies: Sotheby’s (BID), Fanatics ()
Key People: Brahm Wachter (Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles), Robert Kraft (New England Patriots owner), Rob Gough (Actor), Meek Mill (Rapper), Tom Brady (NFL Legend), Tacko Fall (Celtics star)


Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The article discusses a record-breaking sale of a Shohei Ohtani card for US$336,000 at Sotheby’s and Fanatics’ inaugural ‘Holy Grail’ auction event where buyers spent US$7 million on 33 lots. This highlights the growing demand for collectible trading cards featuring sports stars such as Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Shohei Ohtani.
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses a significant financial transaction in the collectibles market, specifically focusing on the high-end trading card sales which can impact the valuation of these items and potentially influence the behavior of investors or collectors.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event mentioned in the article. The main topic discusses a record-breaking sale of a Shohei Ohtani card for US$336,000 at Sotheby’s and Fanatics’ inaugural ‘Holy Grail’ auction event.
Deal Size: The deal size mentioned in this article is $7,000,000.
Move Size: No market move size mentioned.
Sector: All
Direction: Up
Magnitude: Large
Affected Instruments: Stocks

Reported publicly: www.barrons.com