Why You (or Steve Cohen) Can't Buy Juan Soto's Best Sports Card
If you search certification number #28901034 on PSA’s website, you’ll find the 1/1 Bowman Chrome Superfractor Autograph of Juan Soto. However, there’s something unusual about this card: instead of a grade, the PSA label reads “Authentic” and “Altered.”
For years, this card has been a subject of intrigue in the sports card community. It was widely known to have been graded by BGS, where it received a 9 for the card and a 9 for the autograph.
That changed when the card appeared in a PSA 10 holder. Collectors quickly noticed something odd: the autograph looked different. Specifically, the right side of the autograph appeared to have been altered. This raised serious questions about how Juan Soto’s best and most iconic card managed to pass through PSA’s grading process without the alteration being flagged.
Over time, various theories emerged about the card. The cards was bought altered and regraded and sold again. Once the person who bought the card found out it was altered they tried to get their money back.
The most widely accepted explanation is that PSA, upon realizing the error, bought the card back from its owner. Allegedly, PSA wanted to remove the card from the market because it should never have been graded in the first place. As a result, the card was reclassified as “Authentic” and “Altered” in PSA’s database, with no numerical grade assigned.
Recently, the card reappeared in PSA’s database with the same certification number but with an updated image. Despite this, the card has not been publicly sold again. At the very least, PSA’s acknowledgment of their grading mistake has brought some closure to this saga.
This card is unlikely to ever return to the open market, which shifts attention to other premium Juan Soto cards. Notably, his Red Bowman Chrome Autographs, numbered to 5, are now among his most sought-after cards.
When examining Soto’s highest-priced sales, one standout is his Orange Bowman Chrome Autograph #22/25, which sold for $300,000 in 2022. This specific card is jersey-numbered 22/25, making it the lowest-numbered parallel to match his jersey number. The unique combination of rarity and jersey numbering contributed to its record-breaking sale price.
But, just maybe you are waiting for a card with Soto in a Mets uniform!
Adam has been a sports content creator since 2016, initially focusing on creating sports-related graphics for his Instagram page. In 2018, he transitioned to writing and podcasting about sports cards. Since then, he has worked both independently and with companies within the industry, producing podcasts, videos, and written content on sports cards.