Emma Roberts Joins the Hobby Hype, Helps Fan Pull Shohei Ohtani Rookie Card
In this story:
It isn’t every day you walk up to a booth, purchase a pack of baseball cards, and end up getting a banger. For a young collector, though, that all happened with the help of Emma Roberts.
At the recent Fanatics Fest in New York, Roberts was seen opening a pack of 2018 Topps Archives baseball cards with a pair of young collectors. As seen in a video posted by the card company, the trio went through several packs looking for an Ohtani card wearing a Los Angeles Angels jersey during his rookie year.
She asked one of the kids which pack he’d like and ended up getting the one on top. For her part, the one Roberts ripped didn’t contain any winners at all. A few moments later, the young collector struck gold and actually pulled a Shohei Ohtani rookie card.
RELATED: Victor Wembanyama Drops $2,500 for Rare Star Wars Rookie Card
Roberts was among the various stars and athletes who made an appearance at Fanatics Fest. Some of those who attended or were featured are LeBron James, Paul Logan, Kevin Durant, Victor Wembanyama, Tom Brady, Speed, and Travis Scott, among others.
Emma Roberts Reveals Her Passion For The Hobby
Over the past few months, Roberts has dropped subtle hints about collecting trading cards as her new hobby. Even as early as November of last year, the actress shared a One of One Topps Star Wars Galaxy sketch card of Emperor Palpatine she pulled on Instagram. She also ripped open a megabox of 2024 Bowman Chrome baseball cards.
RELATED: Pete Alonso Cards Soar After Climbing New York Mets’ Home Run List
If that wasn’t enough, Roberts also figured in a hilarious card accident a few weeks later. In a post she shared on her official Instagram account, the actress was seen pulling a Dylan Crews Topps Bowman Chrome Gladiators case hit card with her partner. However, he accidentally knocked the card out of her hand, causing Roberts to go speechless.
RELATED: Kevin Durant Joins Houston Rockets, Pulls Kobe Bryant Card in First Pack Opening
Just recently, Roberts has come out with her love for the hobby. During the Fanatics Fest last weekend, Julia Roberts’ niece was one of the personalities featured in a panel discussion called Ready. Set. Collect. She joined Brady and Paul on stage as the trio talked about cards and more.
The State of Shohei Ohtani Rookie Cards in the Market
The Shohei Ohtani card pulled by Roberts and the young fan is one of the many offerings collectors can chase in the market. This particular one, though, is currently valued at $55 for a raw copy.
While that pull is already good enough for most collectors, a gem-mint slab of it is so much better. A PSA 10 of this Ohtani rookie card is worth $300, making it an ideal grading candidate for collectors due to the promising return in value.
Of course, this all depends on what the young collector wants to do with this pull. In any case, getting this impressive Shohei Ohtani rookie card with the help of Roberts is already a big win. Whether he gets it graded, puts it up for sale, or just keeps it, his Fanatic Fest experience is more than enough to be a core memory for the hobbyist.
Julio Munar is a sports and culture writer. His expertise revolves around the NBA, but his passion is sports cards and collectibles. He has written for ClutchPoints and The Manila Times, among other outlets.