Two of the biggest stars in sports just delivered another reminder that their value extends far beyond the field and court.
Shohei Ohtani and LeBron James each had rare rookie cards sell for more than $2.5 million through Goldin Auctions on Sunday night, turning the event into another major signal that money is still pouring into the high-end sports card market.
The highest sale of the night belonged to James. His 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection rookie patch autograph card, numbered 9 of 23, sold for $2.93 million. The sale set a new public auction record for a LeBron card, even though there have reportedly been higher private sales. James’ Exquisite Collection rookie patch autographs have long been viewed as some of the most coveted modern basketball cards, and Sunday’s result only reinforced that status.
Ohtani was not far behind.
A one-of-one 2018 Topps Chrome SuperFractor rookie card of the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar sold for $2.56 million, including the buyer’s premium. The card, graded 9.5 out of 10, is the only version of its kind ever produced and now holds the record for the highest public sale price of any Ohtani rookie card.
The jump in value is staggering. The same Ohtani card last sold in 2022 for $139,200, meaning its price has climbed by more than $2.4 million in just four years.
While Ohtani’s SuperFractor did not surpass the $3 million sale of his one-of-one 2025 Topps Chrome Gold MLB Logoman patch autograph card in December, it still marked a major milestone. It is believed to be the first publicly known Ohtani card without an autograph or game-used patch to sell for more than $1 million.
Sunday night added two more massive entries to that list.
For collectors, James and Ohtani are no longer just icons in basketball and baseball. They are now blue-chip assets in a memorabilia market that continues to chase history at record prices.
