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Shohei Ohtani milestone jersey, high-end NBA cards highlight Goldin March Elite Auction
If the sports world did not already know that Shohei Ohtani is one of the greatest baseball players of all time, the MLB star from Japan slammed that point home during the World Baseball Classic.
Ohtani, the two-way star for the LA Angels, led Japan to the championship of the thrilling classic with a magnificent performance. At the plate, Ohtani batted .435/.606/.739 with a home run, four doubles and 10 walks in the 11-day tournament, while also compiling a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9.2 innings.
Ohtani cemented his status as the game’s best modern-day player by striking out teammate and future Hall of Famer Mike Trout for the final out of Japan’s 3-2 win over the U.S. in the championship game.
Ohtani trading cards and memorabilia continue to command big demand and high prices on the sports collectibles market, and Goldin Co. has another example in its March Elite Auction that runs through March 29.
The jersey Ohtani wore when he hit his 100th career home run has a current bid of $63,000.
Ohtani wore the signed and inscribed red Angels road jersey while hitting a 418-foot home run on May 14, 2022 to become just the third Japanese player in major league history to hit 100 home runs, joining Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki. He also became just the second player in history with 100 home runs and 250 strikeouts as a pitcher, joining baseball legend Babe Ruth.
The auction also features three other game-used gems: Kobe Bryant’s 2012 Olympics-worn Team USA Nike Sneakers; a jersey from Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rookie season; and a LeBron James photo-matched Miami Heat road jersey.
Among high-end trading cards are three modern cards that have already surpassed six figures in bidding: a Michael Jordan/Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Game-Used Triple Logoman; a Steph Curry Panini Rookie Patch; and a Trevor Lawrence Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch.
“It doesn’t get much more exciting than March for sports fans,” said Goldin founder and Executive Chairman Ken Goldin. “The NBA playoff race is heating up and the boys of summer are back with MLB Opening Day just around the corner. Whether you collect rare sports trading cards or game-worn memorabilia, our March Elite Auction has something for every fan.”
Goldin will be featured in the new television series “King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch,” which will premiere April 28 on Netflix.
