The Shohei Ohtani bobblehead, featuring the Japanese star holding his dog, Dekopin, was free when the Dodgers handed it out to fans with tickets — and those persistent enough to stand in line for hours outside Dodger Stadium before Wednesday night's game.
Now, if you want to get your hands on one, you'd better be prepared to spend very little on your wallet.
The coveted bobbleheads are currently selling for hundreds of dollars online, just two days after the Dodgers' giveaway.
“As a dealer, I kind of cringe at how much some of these items are going to cost,” said Matt Federgreen, owner of Beverly Hills Card Shop, which has been dealing in sports collectibles since 1983.
There were 40,000 bobbleheads given away before the game against the Baltimore Orioles, but more than 53,000 tickets were sold. Unless fans got to the ballpark early, they were out of luck.
The Shohei Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead is listed online from $150 to $69,420.
(Los Angeles Dodgers)
Fans were able to see Ohtani's dog, whose nickname is “Decoy,” throw out the first pitch.
To get this coveted collector's item, people are paying between $150 and more than $1,500, according to listings and offers found on eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
The Dodgers also gave away a limited-edition gold Ohtani bobblehead, which sells for hundreds of dollars more.
A listing for the gold-colored Ohtani on eBay was asking a tongue-in-cheek $69,420, but as of Friday afternoon had received no bids.
Ohtani's international popularity has driven up prices for some of his memorabilia. Some of the gold-colored bobbleheads have already sold online for $1,500 or more.
“Anything Ohtani does right now, he can be profitable and people will take advantage of that,” Federgreen said.
On eBay, one listing offered the Ohtani and Decoy bobblehead for $169.50 Friday afternoon, while another listed it for $227.77. One seller has sold more than 30 of the bobbleheads.
Another post, on Facebook Marketplace, asked for $150 for the doll but noted that the box had been opened.
But listings for the gold doll, or both, were found for more than $1,000.
One person in Anaheim, in a Facebook post, asked for $1,600 for the gold doll. Another asked for $1,000 for both dolls and included a photo of the dolls with Dodger Stadium in the background to add a little more authenticity.
The Times contacted several people who were selling the dolls online but did not immediately get a response from the sellers.
Some listings were asking more than $2,000 but, as Federgreen noted, there was no sign that anyone had bid or paid that price.
The Dodgers gave away another Ohtani bobblehead in May, five months after he signed a 10-year, $500 million contract. Fans also lined up for three hours before that game to make sure they got one.
For Federgreen, Ohtani is one of the reasons his business has performed so well recently.
Trading cards and memorabilia have increased in popularity in recent years, he said, and stars like Ohtani have helped.
On Thursday, Topps, which is owned by Fanatics Collectibles, announced it would partner with Ohtani on an exclusive trading card deal that will include cards, autographs and game memorabilia.
Details of the value of the deal were not disclosed, but Fanatics said it was a long-term agreement.
For Federgreen, he understands the demand for the Ohtani doll, but he issues a slight warning for people willing to spend a few hundred dollars on it.
“There is a lot of speculation,” he said. “I don’t get involved in things that might have short-term value.”
He notes that some collectibles whose price suddenly increases often drop just as quickly.
“It's a very cute bobblehead,” he said. “But for the same amount of money you can buy something old that still has value.”
