Shohei Ohtani's 2018 Topps Rookie Card Breaks Yet Another Record
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Shohei Ohtani's 2018 Topps Rookie #700 “With Bat” Photo Variation in a PSA 10 sold for a record-high $3,800 on January 14th, 2026, via eBay Best Offer.
Record Breaking Card
RELATED: Why Shohei Ohtani cards could be a dangerous investment in 2026
Previous Record
Previously, the record-high of this card was $3,500 on November 15th, 2025, via eBay Best Offer. In one offseason, this card has sold for a record-high twice. Both of these sales come after another stellar performance from Ohtani in 2025, that led to this card having increased 308.60% ($2,870.00) in the past year, via Card Ladder. Having sold forty-six times within the past year, this card is a prime example of how performance backs demand for a player's rookie card.
In the past year, while this card increased, Ohtani had himself quite the 2025 MLB season. Ohtani won back-to-back World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, being the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win back-to-back titles. On the way to another World Series title, Ohtani won the 2025 NLCS MVP. Ohtani, during the regular season, was a 2025 MLB All-Star, leading the league in runs (146), and ranking top five in home runs (55), OBP (.392), SLG (.622), and OPS (1.014). The 2025 season also had Ohtani win the fourth MVP of his career: the second National League MVP of his career, back-to-back NL MVP, and third consecutive MVP (2023 American League MVP).
Ohtani's 2018 Topps Rookie #700 “With Bat” Photo Variation, in a PSA 10, has just 298 total copies. This number is significantly less than the more well known Ohtani 2018 Topps #700 rookie card, which holds a PSA 10 population of 10,849. This card is less scarce than the photo variation, as that serves as a short-print, being a much tougher card to pull out of a pack. The price discrepancy between the two is also significant, with the photo variation's record-high of $3,800, and the base version having a record-high of $475.13 on January 27th, 2026, via eBay best offer. The price difference between the two record-sales is $3,324.87 (699%).
As Ohtani continues to cement himself into MLB history, with the accolades adding up, collectors have to be wary about what this could mean for Ohtani's market. Ohtani, has already won two World Series titles, has won both AL and NL MVP (TWICE), and has been a league-leader in many stat categories. Both copies of Ohtani's 2018 Topps #700 rookie cards have sold for a record-high in January 2026; where does the ceiling come into place, with there being very few accomplishments Ohtani had yet to conquer?
