Shohei Ohtani Sets New Record as Robert Kraft Purchases 6-Figure Tom Brady Card at ‘Holy Grails’ Auction
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Shohei Ohtani's impact continues to extend beyond baseball as his memorabilia reaches new heights in the collectibles market. On Tuesday night, at the “Holy Grails” auction in Harlem, Ohtani's rookie card set a new auction record. This event marked the first live auction collaboration between Fanatics Collect, the sports giant’s collectibles branch, and renowned auction house Sotheby’s.
Ohtani’s 2018 Topps Chrome Sapphire Autographs Superfractor rookie card, a one-of-a-kind item, sold for a record-breaking $336,000, surpassing the previous high of $312,000 for any Ohtani trading card, set in December 2021. This same card has seen a dramatic rise in value, having sold for $62,730 in October 2021 and just $4,800 in May 2019. Sotheby’s had projected its sale price between $80,000 and $120,000, but with Ohtani recently making history as the first MLB player with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, the demand and value soared.
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of collectibles, remarked, "My favorite piece in the sale was definitely the Ohtani card. That’s why it led off the auction."
The event, hosted in Harlem Parish, a church-turned-event space, attracted big names in sports and entertainment, including NFL legend Tom Brady, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, YouTuber Logan Paul, and rapper Meek Mill.
One of the night’s highlights came when Kraft, seated next to Brady in the front row, purchased a 2000 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph card featuring Brady for $120,000.
Other significant sales included a 2022 Bowman Chrome 1st Bowman Prospect Autograph Superfractor card of Elly De La Cruz, which sold for $360,000—exceeding Ohtani’s record-breaking sale. The night’s biggest sale was a 2005-06 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card, featuring Michael Jordan and Julius Erving, with game-used NBA logo patches from both players’ jerseys. This rare collectible fetched an impressive $780,000.
The “Holy Grails” auction was a showcase of some of the most exclusive and valuable sports memorabilia in the world, with Shohei Ohtani’s historic card setting the tone for an unforgettable evening of record-breaking bids and iconic items.
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