Shohei Ohtani came to Major League Baseball with massive hype in December 2017, and a burning question in trading card circles early in 2018 surrounded when his first rookies would appear in packs. One of his first appearances came in 2018 Bowman, and collectors could not wait to try to uncover examples of his Chrome Rookie Autograph card.
Featuring a photo of Ohtani following through on his windup, his hard-signed Rookie Auto has a slate of eight parallels, including this outstanding /25 Orange Refractor. Only Red Refractor /5, Superfractor 1/1, and Printing Plate 1/1 versions of this card have lower print runs than those Orange cards. But this example’s PSA 10 holder adds another level of rarity, with this one of only four cards to earn that PSA 10 condition assessment, with one also having an autograph grade. Stamped 18/25, this offering stands as one of the finest early-card appearances of the megastar.
After six seasons and two MVP awards with the Angels, Ohtani moved to the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. With the megastar going on to win the N.L. MVP and World Series and establish the 50/50 club, it appears to have been the right move for him. And adding this stunning specimen will be the right move for the winning bidder this month.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 04/09/2025.
