Sometimes, the hobby delivers moments that feel like they’re straight out of Hollywood. A single father from Texas was visiting his critically ill dad in Cincinnati, and he found himself pulling a rare Shohei Ohtani card that experts believe could sell for up to half a million dollars.
The story behind this incredible pull, which was reported by KTLA’s Samantha Cortese and Travis Schlepp, reminds us why we fall in love with collecting in the first place.
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
A Stroke of Fate in a Cincinnati Card Shop
Baseball cards weren’t on Rick Fayter’s mind when he walked into a Cincinnati shop last year. He was busy tending to his father, who had just suffered a stroke. After spending days at his dad’s bedside, Fayter needed a mental break, a moment to breathe, and an opportunity to connect with his son.
So they did what any baseball-loving father and son would do: they hit up the local card shop.
“I looked at my son,” Fayter recalled via KTLA. “I said, ‘I don’t know about you, but I want to go down to the local card shop. I don’t care what we spend. Let’s just rip some boxes.’”
That’s when the kind of pull that collectors dream about their entire lives happened. As Fayter tore open the pack, he caught a glimpse of Ohtani’s name on the back before the card was even fully revealed. The shop employees immediately recognized what was happening. After pulling a Dylan Carlson relic and a Jazz Chisholm auto, Fayter reached the third card in the pack. That’s when the 1-of-1 Shohei Ohtani Bat Knob Autograph card revealed itself.
The Rare Shohei Ohtani Card That’s Making Headlines
This isn’t just any Ohtani card. It’s a 2022 Topps Tier One Shohei Ohtani Bat Knob Autograph—one of only three Bat Knob Autos ever produced featuring the Japanese superstar, and each one is a unique 1-of-1.
The card features an actual piece of game-used bat from Ohtani’s time with the Los Angeles Angels, along with his autograph. The display-a-date marking on the bat knob reads ’01-09-18,’ which potentially corresponds to Ohtani’s rookie season.
A 2020 version of the same Ohtani Bat Knob Auto sold on October 24 through Fanatics Collect for $132,000. With this 2022 version potentially tied to his rookie season, collectors think it could fetch at least $500,000.
Fayter consigned the card to Goldin’s November Elite Auction (running through November 29) because the auction house is based in New Jersey, where his father grew up.
Other Legendary 1-of-1 Shohei Ohtani Cards
Fayter’s card joins an elite fraternity of ultra-rare Ohtani memorabilia reshaping the modern hobby.
The most expensive Ohtani card ever sold is the 2024 Topps 50/50 Dynasty Black Patch Autograph, which sold for $1.067 million at auction in March 2025. That card featured swatches from the pants Ohtani wore when he became the founding member of MLB’s 50-50 club.
Another highly sought-after piece is the Topps Sterling Kanji Bat card—a 1-of-1 featuring a game-used piece of Ohtani’s bat with his Kanji inscription, topped with his autograph also in Kanji. A 2018 Topps Finest Kanji auto rookie card PSA 10 sold for $585,600 on Goldin Auctions in September 2025. Cards featuring his Kanji signature are extremely rare since Ohtani typically signs in English.
This Story Is Everything Great About Baseball Card Collecting
I love this because while he pulled a rare card that will sell for a lot of money, that part of the story feels secondary.
This was about a father and son seeking comfort during one of life’s most difficult moments. The only thing they were chasing was a distraction from the unfortunate reality they were facing. These two baseball lovers were bonding over cardboard, the anticipation of opening a pack together, and sharing excitement over every pull.
Because of this incredible pull, a single father will likely get a life-changing amount of money once the Ohtani card sells. But more importantly, the moment itself — opening packs with his son during this tough time — is something they’ll both remember fondly.
That’s what makes collecting great. Sometimes we pull incredible cards. But it’s the memories of it happening that we’ll think of whenever we see that card or hear someone mention it in the future.
Love home runs? Sign up for my Substack today and start getting interesting home run-related observations straight to your inbox! And if you’re new to MLB Daily Dingers, it’s probably best to start here.
