A one-of-one 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Pick Autographs Superfractor card of Aaron Judge has sold for $5.2 million, setting a new record for the most expensive modern baseball card ever sold.
The transaction was completed through a private sale brokered by Fanatics Collect, the company announced on Thursday. The sale surpasses the previous modern baseball card record of $3.84 million, paid for Mike Trout’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Prospects Superfractor autograph in 2020.
The $5.2 million sale also exceeds the highest known card sale for Shohei Ohtani, whose top card reached $3 million in December.
Card value jumps from $324,000 to $5.2m
Judge’s Superfractor had previously sold for $324,000 in May 2022 through a Fanatics Premier auction. At the time, it represented the most expensive card associated with the New York Yankees star, according to sports card sales database Card Ladder.
With its latest price, the Judge card is now tied for the seventh-highest publicly known sports card sale of all time, placing it among the most valuable collectibles in the history of the hobby.
The identities of the buyer and seller have not been publicly disclosed.
Early Bowman cards remain highly sought-after
Judge’s first professional cards appeared in 2013 Bowman sets, four years before his official rookie cards were released after he reached Major League Baseball.
Collectors often consider “1st Bowman” cards particularly valuable, sometimes even more desirable than a player’s rookie card due to their early release in a player’s professional career.
Another rare Judge card could challenge the record
Meanwhile, another unique Judge collectible is currently attracting significant attention in the market.
A 2025 Topps MVP Gold Logoman autographed card featuring both Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani recently went up for auction through Fanatics Collect. The one-of-a-kind card includes gold MLB logo patches taken from jerseys worn by each reigning MVP.
As of Thursday morning, bidding had already reached $1.2 million, with the auction scheduled to close on March 19.
The record-breaking sale underlines the continued growth of the sports memorabilia and collectibles market, where rare cards linked to global sports stars are increasingly attracting multi-million-dollar valuations.