A record-setting sale that shows big money is flooding into graded sports cards as an alternative asset.

• A father bought a card box at a Boca Raton, Florida store and pulled an ultra-rare Shohei Ohtani card.
• Kevin O'Leary and top collector Shine, who had offered a $6.5 million bounty for it, ended up buying it for $11 million.
• The card is one-of-one: it shows Ohtani's 2024 National League MVP season, includes pieces of jerseys he actually wore, and is signed in both English and Japanese.
• Rich buyers are moving into collectible cards over art because cards are certified and professionally graded, which makes their value easier to trust.

Outlook: Expect more money to chase top-graded cards as wealthy investors treat them like a serious asset class.