Shohei Ohtani's Most Expensive 2018 Panini Rookie Card Sales
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Current global superstar Shohei Ohtani has a wide array of popular rookie cards. Born in Japan, Ohtani has a global fanbase, unlike any other superstar in baseball. His Panini cards have a strong market in the hobby. Here is a look at the best selling Ohtani rookie year Panini cards.
2018 Panini Donruss PSA 9 1/1- Sold for $97,600
Ohtani was an international signing by the Angels in 2018, with a $2.3M signing bonus and league minimum salary.
2018 Panini Donruss Optic Rated Rookie '84 Signatures Gold Vinyl Prizm 1/1 PSA 8 - Sold for $51,850
Ohtani played in the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB) in Japan at the age of 18, where he hit 48 home runs and batted .286 in five seasons.
2018 Panini Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Signature Gold /10 PSA 9 - Sold for $25,331
Ohtani has four championships under his belt, two with the Dodgers, one with Team Japan, and one with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
2018 Panini Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Retro 1984 Signatures Retro '84 Signature - Gold /10 PSA 9 - Sold for $23,644
Ohtani has won the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) four times, two with the Angels and two with the Dodgers.
2018 Panini Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Orange /25 BGS 9 - Sold for $22,750
Ohtani signed a massive ten-year deal with the Dodgers for $700 million; $680 million is deferred until 2034, and he will be paid $2 million per year from 2024 to 2033. Most of his annual income comes from endorsements from New Balance, Beats by Dre, Fanatics, and other companies.
2018 Panini National Treasures Material Signatures Signed Patch Rookie Card /25 PSA 9 - Sold for $20,746
In 2021, Ohtani was the starting pitcher and led off as the designated hitter (DH) during the All-Star Game.
2018 Panini Flawless Rookie Dual Patch Autograph Gold PSA /10 - Sold for $19,200
In his eight-year career, Ohtani has hit 280 home runs and batted in 669 runs, while pitching only six of those years due to injuries. While pitching, he has posted a 3.80 earned run average (ERA) and struck out 670 batters.
2018 Panini Flawless Rookie Signatures 1/1 PSA 9 - Sold for $18,435
Ohtani is coming off a season where he had career highs in runs and home runs with 146 and 55, respectively. The Dodgers are running back the same team as last year, with a big addition of Kyle Tucker.
Craig Cormier lives in New York City with his wife, Stephanie, and dog, Ziggy. He is a passionate sports card collector, focusing primarily on baseball, basketball, and football. He proudly roots for the Yankees, Knicks, and Jets. One of his biggest sports goals is to visit every Major League Baseball stadium—and he is already halfway there! Outside of collecting, he enjoys playing softball, attending trade nights at local card shops, and exploring card shows.