Yamamoto 2024 Sapphire Padparadscha Auto 1/1 Sale

2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Padparadscha Yoshinobu Yamamoto Auto 1/1 Sells for $110,492 at Goldin

On January 4, 2026, Goldin closed a notable ultra-modern baseball sale: a 2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Edition Autographs Padparadscha #USA-YY Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed rookie card, serial-numbered 1/1 and Topps-encased, realized $110,492.

For a pitcher still early in his MLB journey, this result gives collectors a useful datapoint for how the market is currently valuing Yamamoto’s true “one-of-one” Sapphire autograph at the very top of the 2024 chrome hierarchy.

Card overview: what exactly sold?

Let’s break down the card itself:

• Player: Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (Team USA-style autograph subset numbering: USA-YY)
• Year: 2024
• Product: Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Edition
• Insert/Subset: Autographs
• Parallel: Padparadscha (super-short-printed Sapphire parallel)
• Card number: #USA-YY
• Serial number: 1/1
• Autograph: Topps-certified, on-card style (signed directly on the card surface, not on a sticker)
• Rookie status: Signed rookie card from his first flagship Chrome Sapphire season
• Holder: Topps factory encapsulation (Topps-encased), not a third‑party grading company slab

Padparadscha parallels in Topps Chrome Sapphire are among the rarest color variations in the product. With just a single copy produced, this card represents the only Padparadscha autograph of Yamamoto from this specific Sapphire Update release.

Understanding the price: $110,492 at Goldin

The final sale price was $110,492 (converted from the provided cent amount). For context:

• One-of-one Sapphire autographs of top-tier rookie pitchers and international stars routinely occupy the upper tier of modern singles, but transaction volume is low because there is only one copy per card.
• As a result, traditional “comps” (short for comparables—similar recent sales used as reference points) are limited. Collectors instead look across a family of parallels and key sets to get a sense of the broader pricing band.

While exact, publicly visible comps for this specific 2024 Padparadscha 1/1 auto are scarce by definition, the price lines up with how the hobby has begun to value:

• Flagship chrome rookie autographs of key international signings in major markets (particularly Dodgers prospects and imports).
• One-of-one color parallels from premium chromium lines like Sapphire, especially when paired with on-card autographs.

In other words, this result doesn’t appear out of line with what we’ve seen for similar-tier 1/1s from recent years—high end, but consistent with the card’s scarcity and Yamamoto’s profile.

Market context: how this fits into Yamamoto’s card landscape

When hard data is thin for a true 1/1, it helps to zoom out and look at nearby cards:

• Non-1/1 Sapphire parallels (such as Red, Orange, or Gold) and standard Topps Chrome rookie autographs tend to transact more frequently. Recent public sales for these types of cards have generally settled below this Goldin result, as expected, with pricing tiers typically scaling by:
  • Scarcity (print run),
  • Brand tier (flagship Chrome vs Sapphire vs specialty releases), and
  • Whether the card is autographed.
• Higher-numbered parallels (for example /50 or /99) often give an accessible entry point for collectors who like a player but don’t chase true one-of-ones.

This Goldin sale effectively sets a reference for Yamamoto’s “ceiling piece” within 2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire autographs—useful when collectors compare:

• Sapphire vs non-Sapphire parallels.
• 1/1s vs /5, /10, or /25 cards.
• On-card signatures vs non-autographed rookies.

Why collectors care: key factors behind this card

Several elements make this card particularly interesting for both player collectors and market watchers:

1. Rookie-era chrome autograph

For modern players, collectors usually treat Topps Chrome and its related chromium products as core rookie issues. Signed versions (autographs) often represent a player’s most chased early-career cards.

Yamamoto’s 2024 Chrome-era autos give collectors a clean, recognizable way to plant a flag in his MLB debut period, similar to how hobbyists have approached other high-profile international signings.

2. Sapphire Edition + Padparadscha parallel

Topps Chrome Sapphire is viewed as a premium, low-print-run chromium line. It is known for:

• Distinctive Sapphire finish and color parallels.
• Shorter overall production compared to standard Topps Chrome.
• Strong crossover appeal to both set builders and player collectors.

Within Sapphire, Padparadscha parallels sit near the top of the color ladder. They are:

• Extremely scarce, often with a print run of 1 (true 1/1s).
• Recognized in the hobby as a prestige chase parallel, similar in spirit to Superfractors or Black 1/1s in other products.

3. True 1/1 signed card

A 1/1 means only one copy of this exact card exists. Combined with an on-card autograph, that gives this specific Yamamoto piece a unique position:

• It is the only Padparadscha Sapphire autograph of him from 2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire.
• For a focused player collector, this can be a “centerpiece” card that sits above other parallels.

4. Topps-encased

This card is sealed in a Topps factory holder rather than a traditional grading slab. While it doesn’t carry a numeric grade, some collectors appreciate:

• The confirmation that the autograph and card are directly from Topps in untampered condition.
• The original manufacturer presentation, which some prefer before any third-party grading.

Others may later choose to cross this into a grading company’s slab; that’s a collector preference question more than a value guarantee.

5. Ultra-modern timing and player narrative

This card comes from the ultra-modern era—essentially the past several years, where print runs, parallel structures, and grading behavior differ significantly from earlier decades.

For Yamamoto specifically, collectors have tracked:

• His transition from NPB (Japan) to MLB.
• Performance in a major market (Los Angeles) with a large hobby following.
• Ongoing season-by-season validation of his long-term outlook.

None of these guarantee outcomes, but they can influence demand peaks, especially around key hobby moments like debuts, awards voting, playoff performances, or standout streaks.

How to read this sale as a collector

If you collect Yamamoto—or you’re just trying to understand how ultra-modern 1/1s are being valued—this Goldin sale offers a few takeaways:

1. One-of-one premiums are steep, but logical

The pricing gap between a 1/1 and a /5, /10, or /25 parallel can be large. That gap often reflects:

• The fact that only one collector can own the 1/1.
• The appeal to deep-pocketed player or team collectors seeking a true centerpiece.

This $110,492 sale reinforces that dynamic without pushing beyond what we’ve seen for other high-profile international arms and young stars.

2. Sapphire matters in the Chrome ecosystem

Within Yamamoto’s rookie portfolio, Topps Chrome, Chrome Update, and Sapphire each play a role. Sapphire tends to:

• Sit above standard Chrome in perceived scarcity and prestige.
• Attract collectors who like both player and set-building angles.

Seeing a Sapphire Padparadscha auto 1/1 reach this level gives some structure to how collectors might parse the rest of his Sapphire color ladder.

3. Think in ranges, not single datapoints

Because this is a true 1/1, it’s better to treat the Goldin result as one marker in a range rather than a hard reference number. To build a more robust view, consider looking at:

• Recent sales of Yamamoto’s other top-tier rookie autos (for example, Superfractors, low-numbered Gold/Orange/Red parallels) across marketplaces.
• Parallel pricing in similar products for other high-profile pitchers and international standouts.

This helps contextualize whether this card traded near a typical range for elite 1/1s, or if it sits at an extreme.

4. No guarantees—just context

As always, auction results are snapshots of a specific moment: who showed up, what else was on the market, and how collectors felt about the player at that time. This sale is useful for context, but it is not a promise of future values.

Key details recap

• Card: 2024 Topps Chrome Update Sapphire Edition Autographs Padparadscha Yoshinobu Yamamoto #USA-YY
• Attributes: Signed rookie card, Padparadscha 1/1 parallel, Topps-encased autograph
• Auction house: Goldin
• Sale date (UTC): January 4, 2026
• Final price: $110,492

For figoca users tracking ultra-modern chrome markets, this sale is a clean example of how the hobby is currently treating a premium, one-of-one Sapphire autograph of a headline international rookie—and a useful anchor when comparing the rest of Yamamoto’s 2024 Topps Chrome and Sapphire lineup.