Steve Aoki experienced an unforgettable moment when he unearthed a Shohei Ohtani rookie card during a livestream event with Hardscope.
This particular card, of which only 99 exist, is valued at an impressive $40,000.
Aoki was engaged in unboxing with fellow influencer Matcrackz for the debut episode of Hardscope’s new collectibles series.
At around the 16-minute mark, Aoki expressed his hope to find the Ohtani card, asking, “Shohei, are you here with us?” Initially, he revealed an autographed card from LaMonte Wade.
Just 40 seconds later, his wish came true.
Upon pulling the Ohtani card, Aoki couldn’t contain his excitement, shouting, “We got him! Shohei the great!”
He exclaimed, “This is probably one of the greatest pulls of my life! Like, I’ll never forget this experience!” Aoki, a well-known fan of Ohtani, has been spotted watching him play, including during the World Baseball Classic last spring, when he witnessed Ohtani in batting practice for Team Japan.
While Aoki was overjoyed with his latest find, it’s not the crown jewel of his collection. That title goes to a Tom Brady “2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket Autograph” that he purchased for over $770,000.
The Brady card boasts a Beckett autograph grading of 10, whereas the card itself is rated as a mint nine.
In addition to the Brady card, Aoki’s collection includes a triple autograph card featuring legends Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant, along with rare cards of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and more Ohtani cards.
Aoki started collecting cards in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when he found himself with unexpected downtime from touring.
Last May, Sports Illustrated detailed that Aoki’s collection exceeds 35,000 cards, and he has moved many to “PSA’s Vault for storage, digitization, and eventual liquidity.”
