Shohei Ohtani and LeBron James Rookie Cards Sell for Over $80 Million Each

NEW YORK, June 30 (CNA) -- Rare rookie trading cards of baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani and basketball icon LeBron James each sold for over $2.5 million (NT$80 million) at auction yesterday evening, sending a strong signal that hot money continues to pour into the high-end trading card market.

According to Yahoo News, the highest-selling card of the evening belonged to NBA star LeBron James's 2003-2004 rookie season card, issued by Upper Deck in its Exquisite Collection series. This autographed card, featuring a piece of game-worn jersey, was the 9th of only 23 limited edition cards and ultimately sold for $2.93 million (approximately NT$92.64 million).

Although higher private sale records have been reported, this transaction still sets a new public auction record for a LeBron James card.

James's autographed card has long been considered one of the most valuable items in modern basketball card collecting, and yesterday's result further solidifies its market position.

Meanwhile, a trading card of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani also performed exceptionally well. His 2018 Topps Chrome SuperFractor rookie card sold for $2.56 million (approximately NT$80.94 million) including buyer's premium. This card, graded 9.5, is the only one of its kind and this transaction also set a public auction record for any Shohei Ohtani rookie card.

The card's appreciation is astonishing: the same card sold for $139,200 (approximately NT$4.4 million) in 2022, a surge of over $2.4 million (approximately NT$75.88 million) in just four years.

While this Chrome SuperFractor did not surpass the record set by Ohtani's other card, a 2025 Topps Chrome Gold MLB Logoman autographed card with a game-worn jersey swatch, which sold for $3 million (approximately NT$94.86 million) last December, this auction is still a significant milestone. It is believed to be the first time an Ohtani card without an autograph or game-worn jersey swatch has sold for over $1 million.

For collectors, James and Ohtani are no longer just basketball and baseball idols; their memorabilia, which continues to break price records, makes them highly sought-after premium assets. (Compiled by Qu Xiangping) 1150630)