Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Chrome Red Wave /5 PSA 10

2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Wave Refractor #RA-SO Shohei Ohtani Signed Rookie Card (#1/5) - PSA GEM MT 10, PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 - Pop 1 Sold for $158,600 at Goldin on 12/07/25

Shohei Ohtani’s top rookie autographs have quietly become a measuring stick for the modern baseball card market. On December 7, 2025, Goldin sold a 2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Wave Refractor #RA-SO Shohei Ohtani rookie card, serial-numbered 1/5, graded PSA GEM MT 10 with a PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 autograph, for $158,600.

This is a true “Pop 1” — the only example in the PSA population report at this exact grade combination — and it sits in the middle of several key themes in today’s hobby: ultra-modern scarcity, dual-graded autographs, and the growing importance of color-matched, on-card rookie autos.

In this post, we’ll unpack why this particular card matters, how it fits into the wider Ohtani market, and what the sale tells us about collector demand in late 2025.

Card Breakdown: Why This Ohtani Matters

Card details

Player: Shohei Ohtani
Team: Los Angeles Angels (rookie year imagery)
Year: 2018
Set: 2018 Topps Chrome
Card: Rookie Autographs #RA-SO
Parallel: Red Wave Refractor, serial-numbered 1/5
Rookie status: Yes – this is one of Ohtani’s key flagship chrome rookie autographs
Autograph: On-card, serial-numbered, Topps-certified
Grading: PSA GEM MT 10 (card) and PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 (autograph grade)
Population (“Pop 1”): Only one example in this grade/auto-grade combo in PSA’s population report

2018 Topps Chrome is one of the core modern baseball releases. When collectors talk about “flagship chrome rookie autos,” this is one of the sets they mean: the Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph line is often treated as a player’s central, widely recognized chromium rookie auto.

Within that structure, the Red Wave Refractor /5 is a very low-print parallel. Red and red-style parallels generally sit near the top of the color ladder in modern Topps Chrome — above golds and greens, and just below true 1/1s and certain special issues.

Layer on the fact that this copy is the 1/5 serial (jersey-numbered or bookend numbering can matter to some collectors, and “01/XX” often carries a small premium) and then add:

PSA GEM MT 10 for the card, signaling top-tier centering, corners, edges, and surface for this condition-sensitive chromium issue.
PSA/DNA GEM MT 10 auto, verifying both authenticity and visual quality (no noticeable streaking, smudging, or fading).

That combination makes this example a true “top of the pyramid” piece for Ohtani’s 2018 Topps Chrome line.

Market Context: How $158,600 Fits into the Ohtani Landscape

The card realized $158,600 at Goldin on December 7, 2025.

When collectors talk about “comps,” they mean comparable recent sales – usually of the same card, or as close as possible in terms of parallel and grade. For a Pop 1 /5 parallel like this, direct one-to-one comps can be limited, so we often look at:

Same card, different parallels (e.g., Gold, Orange, Red non-Wave)
Same set, different Ohtani rookie autos in similar tiers
Other key Ohtani rookie autos from different sets, in gem-mint grades

As of late 2025, public auction records show that:

Gold /50 and Orange /25 2018 Topps Chrome Ohtani Rookie Autos (PSA 10) have routinely traded well below this $158,600 mark, reflecting their higher print runs and greater availability.
True Red /5 and other ultra-low serial Ohtani rookie autos from 2018 Topps Chrome and comparable sets tend to land in a much higher tier than Gold and Orange, but exact realized prices have varied over the last few years with Ohtani’s on-field narrative and broader market cycles.
Several of Ohtani’s most premium rookies (for example, certain 1/1s or patch autos from high-end brands) have previously set six-figure records, especially during peaks in his dual-threat dominance, his move to Los Angeles, and his award runs.

Taken together, this $158,600 sale:

Sits firmly in the high-end Ohtani tier, consistent with what you’d expect for an ultra-low-serial, on-card, gem-mint, flagship chrome rookie auto.
Reflects the extra premium attached to PSA 10 / PSA/DNA 10 and Pop 1 status. When buyers know they are competing for the only example in that specific grade combo, bidding can stretch beyond more common parallels.

Because the card is a Pop 1 and numbered to just five, transaction data is naturally thin. That means price discovery is still ongoing – a sale like this helps set the current reference point for future negotiations and auctions, but it doesn’t “lock in” a stable value.

Why Collectors Care: Flagship Chrome, Ultra-Modern Star, and Scarcity

Several factors make this card meaningful beyond the headline price.

1. Flagship chrome rookie auto status

2018 Topps Chrome is widely treated as a mainline, mass-recognized Ohtani rookie platform. When collectors from different corners of the hobby compare key modern rookie cards, Topps Chrome rookie autos tend to appear in those conversations alongside Bowman Chrome and a few other core issues.

Having a color, on-card autograph, serial-numbered rookie from that run – especially in a short print like /5 – puts this card into the conversation as one of the more important non-1/1 Ohtani rookies.

2. Ultra-modern, with real scarcity

This is an ultra-modern card (produced well after 2010), a period where:

Overall print runs for base and low-end cards are often much higher than in prior decades.
True scarcity usually comes from numbered parallels, limited autographs, and short prints.

A serial-numbered /5 parallel like this, particularly from a highly chased rookie auto checklist, is meaningfully rare even in an era of high production. The Pop 1 PSA 10 / PSA/DNA 10 label adds an extra layer of grading scarcity – this is not just a rare card, but a uniquely graded one.

3. Dual-threat player narrative

Ohtani’s unique profile as an elite hitter and elite pitcher has made him one of the defining figures of the ultra-modern era. Over the last several years, his:

MVP-level seasons,
High-profile free agency,
Media attention around his two-way role,

have all been reflected in the performance of his key rookie cards. While prices have moved in cycles along with the broader sports card market, his best pieces have generally remained among the most closely watched in modern baseball collecting.

A sale like this one at Goldin in December 2025 reinforces that serious collectors are still willing to commit major capital to Ohtani’s top-tier rookies, particularly when the card checks multiple boxes: flagship brand, low serial number, on-card auto, and gem-mint grading.

Grading, Population, and Why “Pop 1” Matters

When collectors talk about the “pop report,” they’re referring to a grading company’s population report: how many copies of a given card exist at each grade level.

For this card:

PSA shows this configuration as a Pop 1 in GEM MT 10 with a GEM MT 10 auto.
Lower grades or raw (ungraded) copies may exist, but they do not carry the same population label.

Why that matters:

Competition at the top: High-end collectors who prefer only the best-graded examples often have to compete more intensely when there is a single top copy.
Auction dynamics: In a fixed-time auction format at a major house like Goldin, Pop 1 status can lead to sharper bidding since underbidders know the opportunity may not reappear soon.

At the same time, Pop 1 doesn’t automatically mean “most important” or “best investment.” It simply tells you how many of that exact grade exist. For collectors who prioritize condition rarity, that can be a key differentiator when choosing between similar cards across a player’s rookie portfolio.

Interpreting the $158,600 Result as a Collector

A few practical takeaways for collectors and small sellers looking at this sale for guidance:

Use this sale as a reference point, not a guarantee.
A Pop 1 /5 PSA 10 auto 10 is a best-case scenario. Different parallels (Gold, Orange, non-Wave versions) or lower grades will not track this number linearly.
Scale expectations based on scarcity and grade.
- Higher print runs (like /50 or /99) and lower grades normally land at significantly lower price levels.
- Ultra-low serial parallels (/5, /10, 1/1) tend to occupy a tier of their own.
Consider set prestige and collector familiarity.
2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs are widely recognized, which supports liquidity and interest. Lesser-known brands or inserts, even with similar serial numbering, may not attract the same bidder pool.
Remember that player storylines drive attention.
Ohtani’s ongoing performance, awards, team context, and health will continue to influence interest in his cards. The market can and does change as those variables evolve.

What This Means for the Ohtani High-End Market

The Goldin sale of this 2018 Topps Chrome Rookie Autographs Red Wave Refractor #RA-SO Shohei Ohtani (#1/5) PSA 10, PSA/DNA 10, Pop 1 for $158,600 on 12/07/25 confirms several ongoing trends:

Top-tier Ohtani rookies remain among the most watched pieces in modern baseball.
Ultra-low serial parallels from flagship chrome brands continue to command a clear premium over more plentiful color and base autos.
Condition and grading still matter at the very top end. A dual gem-mint label from a leading grading company meaningfully affects how the market responds.

For collectors building a focused Ohtani PC (personal collection) or trying to understand the upper limits of modern baseball rookie cards, this sale offers a useful data point. It doesn’t set a hard ceiling, but it shows where real buyers and sellers were willing to meet for one of the best possible copies of a key Ohtani rookie autograph.

As always, the most important questions before you buy remain the same:

Do you personally like the card?
Does the set and parallel make sense with the rest of your collection?
Are you comfortable with the current price range based on your own research?

From a collector-to-collector perspective, this Goldin result simply confirms that, in late 2025, high-end, low-serial Ohtani rookie autographs are still central to the modern baseball conversation, with this Pop 1 Red Wave /5 PSA 10 auto 10 sitting near the center of that story.