A one-of-a-kind rookie card of Major League Baseball (MLB) superstar Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) has been sold at a public auction for over $2.5 million.

MLB.com reported on June 30 (KST) that the rookie card, issued in 2018 during Ohtani's debut season, was sold for $2,562,229 (approximately 3.97 billion won) at public auction.

The card is a "Superfractor," the rarest version of the high-end "Topps Chrome" series released by American sports card manufacturer Topps, featuring a special gold reflective pattern.

Superfractors are typically produced as a single, unique copy worldwide.

The Ohtani card sold in this auction was also a "1-of-1" edition, and it received a grading score of 9.5 out of 10.

Auction house Goldin explained that this sale price is the highest ever recorded for an Ohtani rookie card in a public transaction.

Ohtani made his big league debut in 2018 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

During the 2018 season, he recorded a .285 batting average with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs as a hitter, and posted a 4-2 record with a 3.31 ERA as a pitcher, earning him the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year award.

Since then, Ohtani has grown into a superstar representing MLB, and the prices of his rare collectibles have soared alongside his fame.

Currently playing for the Dodgers, he has recorded a .294 batting average with 17 home runs and 47 RBIs as a hitter, and an 8-2 record with a 1.58 ERA as a pitcher this season.

(Photo: X capture, Yonhap News)