4 Great Shohei Ohtani Rookie Cards That Can Be Found for Under $1,000
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If you follow the news in the hobby and don't live under a rock, you know that Shohei Ohtani's card prices have continued to rise even during the offseason. While many had assumed that we would see a slight dip in prices after the World Series, that simply hasn't happened - it's been just the opposite. Prices continue to rise and collectors are feeling more and more that time is running out to grab an Ohtani rookie at a decent price. There's good news and bad news: while the so-called "premium" rookies like his Bowman Chrome base card and Topps Chrome parallels have moved well north of $1,000, there's still plenty of great Ohtani rookies for sale at a more affordable price.
BOWMAN 2018 SHOHEI OHTANI
Ohtani's Bowman Chrome rookie has seen unbelievable gains over the past months, but the regular Bowman version, which shows Ohtani pitching, is still available for under $500 in gem-mint condition. It's interesting that the Chrome base card sells for roughly 4 times the value of the card above - if Ohtani starts off strong this season, there's probably still room for this card to grow.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleTOPPS GALLERY HERITAGE 2018 SHOHEI OHTANI
The Ohtani rookie card from the Topps Gallery Heritage set shows Ohtani posing for a portrait. This set was retail-exclusive and only available at Walmart. A hand-painted likeness along with a facsimile signature at the bottom harken back to cards from the vintage era. This particular card was part of the "Heritage" insert set and a gem-mint copy can be had for around $450.
TOPPS LIVING 2018 SHOHEI OHTANI
Ohtani was added fairly early to the ever-expanding Topps Living set back in 2018 as a member of the Angels during his rookie season. With artwork by the famed Mayumi Seto, the likeness of Ohtani is uncanny and the cards themselves have that vintage feel that collectors love. A copy of one of these in gem-mint condition will set you back around $500.
TOPPS CHROME 2018 SHOHEI OHTANI
Up until recently, Ohtani's base card from the 2018 Topps Chrome set was very affordable in comparison to the refractor and autograph parallels. That's starting to change - as collectors start to chase all Ohtani cards under the sun, his previously overlooked rookies are starting to climb in value. A recent sale of this card went for $900 - but based on its upward trend it won't stay under $1,000 for much longer.
Brian Hough became a fan of the hobby by opening packs of 1986 Donruss and 1987 Topps baseball with his dad and little brother. He has been writing about the collectibles industry for years, initially as a price guide editor for Tuff Stuff Magazine, which was a monthly sports magazine focused on sports cards and collectibles, particularly known for its price guides and checklists, that initially launched in April 1984.