No offense to LeBron James or any of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities, but the biggest star in Los Angeles right now is undoubtedly Shohei Ohtani. The two-way sensation has captured the hearts of sports fans across the city and beyond, and his popularity is so immense that even his dog, Decoy, has inspired Instagram fan accounts.
So when it was announced that there would be a limited edition gold version of the highly coveted Shohei Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead, it set off a frenzy among fans and collectors alike. The anticipation for this special piece of memorabilia was sky-high, leading to a perfect storm of excitement and, ultimately, an explosion in the resale market.
Back in May, a limited edition gray road-uniform version of the Ohtani bobblehead was released, and those who managed to snag one soon found themselves in possession of a highly valuable collectible. With only 1,700 of these gray bobbleheads out of the 40,000 distributed, resale prices soared, with some selling for as much as $2,300.
Now, the gold version featuring Ohtani and his dog Decoy has taken the market by storm. While it’s unclear how many of these gold bobbleheads were produced, what is clear is that those lucky enough to get their hands on one quickly turned to secondary markets like eBay to cash in. The listings have been nothing short of jaw-dropping, with most of the bobbleheads being priced in the thousands of dollars. Some have even been listed for an astronomical $20,000, and according to a report by the Los Angeles FOX affiliate, one listing was spotted at a staggering $70,000.
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The final price that collectors are willing to pay for these gold bobbleheads remains to be seen, but given the feverish demand for anything related to Shohei Ohtani, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of these figurines fetch extraordinary sums.
The excitement surrounding the gold bobblehead was further amplified by an adorable moment before the game when Decoy, Ohtani’s dog, participated in the ceremonial first pitch. In a heartwarming scene, Decoy “fetched” the pitch to his 30-year-old owner, who was “catching” behind home plate. The Dodgers went on to win the game against the Baltimore Orioles 6-4, with Ohtani hitting his 42nd home run of the season, adding yet another highlight to an already memorable night.
For the fortunate fans who managed to secure one of these gold Ohtani and Decoy bobbleheads, it’s not just a piece of memorabilia—it’s a potential treasure. Much like Hollywood stars who collect bling, these fans might soon find themselves with a very valuable item in their possession.
