Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani's status as a modern international sports icon is based on a rare combination of historic two-way dominance as a hitter and pitcher, earning a vast array of MLB accolades and trophies, while bridging cultures through baseball in Japan and the United States, giving him mass global appeal. Although lingering injuries impacted the Los Angeles Dodgers star's postseason in 2026, Ohtani's start to his tenure with the team couldn't have gone much better.
Since arriving in L.A. in 2024, Ohtani has helped lead his team to back-to-back World Series titles, earned three more All-Star appearances to make it six in a row, and won two of his four MVP Awards. As a 2026 NL MVP Finalist, he once again was among the MLB's most elite players, and his popularity off the field has followed. For several years now, Ohtani has been the most-submitted MLB athlete to CGC, past or present. High demand for his cards, especially his most coveted ones, means they often command a premium. As usual, counterfeiters are always lurking, hoping to profit off of players' most sought-after collectibles. The 2014 BBM Art of Auto Weekly Baseball Promotion #WB1 Shohei Ohtani is one of many cards that counterfeiters have targeted.
CGC received a submission that included this particular Japanese Ohtani card from his early days with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, which can sell for more than $1,000 in high grades. With its thick white border and gold ink splatter design, a prominent image of Ohtani at bat, and a facsimile autograph, the card shown below looks authentic at first glance. Upon closer inspection, CGC's experts noticed multiple red flags.
Starting with the top-left corner of the card, a closer look reveals multiple issues, including the white border not being as solid white as on an authentic copy. Further issues arise when looking at the gold coloring, with the authentic copy showing a more vibrant gold than the counterfeit. The lettering is also clearly different, as the fake version has thinner and less defined text.
You can see the same differences in the bottom-left corner of the card when looking at the card name. The "Art of Auto" logo and "Printed Autographed Card" text also show a less-defined, thinner print on the counterfeit copy. Plus, you can once again see color discrepancies in the gold design when comparing the authentic card to the counterfeit.
Additionally, further ink and toning issues are seen on the back of the card. The back is quite different than the front since it is primarily all black, with Japanese characters describing the player and card information. It is obvious that the solid black background is duller on the counterfeit when comparing the two cards. Further, we see the same color issue in the small red square at the bottom, and the white text is not as crisp on the counterfeit copy.
CGC experts also use various lighting, including special infrared lighting, to help identify any potential discrepancies with cards in question. Sheening the counterfeit card back and forth under special lighting adds even more doubt that this is a genuine example of the Japanese Ohtani card. The authentic example is not nearly as glossy, as the counterfeit continues to reveal itself under the lighting to a CGC grading expert's keen eye.
All of these red flags on the front and back of this purported 2014 BBM Art of Auto Weekly Baseball Promotion #WB1 Shohei Ohtani helped CGC experts determine its spurious origin. Education is the most important tool when collecting cards and other collectibles. The more collectors know about the printing and manufacturing process of cards, the fewer mistakes will be made when buying these collectibles. This case also highlights the importance of certification for any high-value example.
CGC authenticates, grades, and encapsulates authentic examples of cards, making the hobby a safer place for collectors, traders, and sellers. To do this, CGC experts use world-class expertise, advanced technology, innovation, and operational excellence to provide sports card collectors and dealers with accurate and consistent certification services. CGC backs these determinations with the CGC Guarantee, which adds significant confidence, liquidity, and value to the hobby. To learn more about CGC's industry-leading services, visit CGCcards.com.
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