Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50-50 home run ball is headed to the auction block, having been consigned to Goldin Auctions. Bidding is set to commence on Friday with an opening bid of $500,000. The auction house reported that they were contacted about the ball just one day after Ohtani made MLB history by becoming the first player to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
“This was one of the easiest (consignments) ever,” said Goldin CEO and founder Ken Goldin in an interview with Dan Hajducky of ESPN. He detailed how the ball’s owner reached out to Goldin via social media on the very next day after Ohtani’s milestone, stating, “Ohtani (hits 50) on Thursday, literally Friday we heard from the guy, he contacted Goldin on his own through social media, flew a security guard down to Miami on Monday with a representative from Goldin, met him, flew back Monday.”
Ohtani achieved the 50-50 milestone during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on September 19, finishing the game with an impressive 6-for-6 performance, including 10 RBIs.
Goldin is providing buyers with the option to purchase the ball outright for $4.5 million from September 27 to October 9. However, if bids reach $3 million before the auction closes on October 9, the outright sale option will be revoked.
The anonymous fan who caught Ohtani’s 50th home run ball was reportedly offered $300,000 by the Dodgers, as confirmed by Fox Sports 640’s Andy Slater. Goldin also verified to ESPN that “there was an offer by the Dodgers, and he turned it down.”
Currently, the record for the most expensive baseball ever sold is held by comic book creator Todd McFarlane, who paid $3.05 million for Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball in 1999.
