Rare rookie card of Pirates’ Paul Skenes fetches $1.11M at auction

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes’ 2024 Topps Chrome Replace MLB debut patch autograph card offered for a surprising $1.11 million, together with purchaser’s premium, on Thursday.

It is a document paid for a Skenes card — whose 2025 base wage is $875,000 — and the costliest fashionable, non-Mike Trout baseball card. A 1-of-1 Trout rookie card offered for $3.9 million in August 2020, then the costliest sports activities card of all time.

Dick’s Sporting Items launched a press release saying their buy of the cardboard. They’ll show it on the Dick’s Home of Sport retailer at Pittsburgh’s Ross Park. The acquisition doubles as an announcement as Dick’s will transfer to turn out to be a purveyor of sports activities playing cards and memorabilia.

“Dick’s is passionate about bringing fans closer to the game,” stated Dick’s govt chairman Ed Stack within the assertion. “Acquiring the Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card enables us to celebrate his incredible talent while giving our athletes a unique opportunity to experience a piece of baseball history up close.”

The 1-of-1 numbered card with an on-card autograph features a patch Skenes wore on his Pirates uniform throughout his main league debut, a conceit that MLB unique buying and selling card licensee Topps developed and launched for the 2023 season.

Pre-Skenes, probably the most paid for one was $150,000 in a personal sale for Anthony Volpe’s final summer time. Jackson Vacation’s MLB debut patch autograph card offered for $198,000, together with purchaser’s premium, in Thursday’s public sale.

The Skenes issue — the Nationwide League’s All-Star Recreation beginning pitcher, a Cy Younger finalist and Rookie of the 12 months in 2024 — spawned a chase not often seen for a contemporary sports activities card, baseball or in any other case. Final Christmas, an 11-year-old Dodgers fan from Los Angeles (the household has chosen to stay nameless) pulled the Skenes redemption card from his lone current.

The Pirates provided a bounty, together with 30 years of season tickets, a meet-and-greet with Skenes, two signed jerseys and various personal PNC Park and spring coaching excursions and experiences in change for the cardboard. Skenes’ girlfriend and LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne provided to host whoever pulled the cardboard for a Pirates sport in her suite; Seth Meyers, host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” additionally provided a VIP expertise simply to see the cardboard.

However the household turned it down. They began speaking with public sale homes in early January and selected Fanatics Accumulate. Kevin Lenane, Fanatics’ Market vp, flew to Texas to personally acquire the Skenes card.

“This was complicated by the fact that the family was evacuated from where they were in Los Angeles multiple times,” Lenane stated. “I got the card from Topps in Texas and brought it to the family out there then the following day graded it for them [with card grader PSA] and brought it back to New York.”

On the flight to California, the pilot discovered about Lenane’s closely insured cargo, tucked away in a protecting case.

“I discreetly shared it with him, [and] he wanted a picture,” stated Lenane, the previous president of PSA, an authentication and grading service. “I honestly felt like Ed McMahon, bringing this check to an excited, modest Southern California family. A lot of times with larger items, you’ll spent a bunch of money and make a bunch of money; in this case, the family bought one box of cards for a few hundred bucks, and this is the outcome. It was a pleasure to be able to bring it to them.”

The cardboard additionally induced a pileup at Fanatics’ Tremendous Bowl LIX get together in February to have a look at the cardboard, which was encased on a wall. Fanatics Accumulate CEO Nick Bell stated the viewing scene “felt a little like the Mona Lisa” due to the road of people that needed to take a peek on the uncommon collectible.

The 11-year-old who pulled the cardboard is a fan of Shohei Ohtani however remains to be trying ahead to speaking with Skenes, a gathering Fanatics plans to facilitate down the street, Lenane stated.

Bell stated he cannot recall a time since he joined the corporate that there was such fervor over a card.

“I’ve had more calls and questions about the Skenes card than any other card we’ve sold on Fanatics,” he stated. “And that was true within five, 10 minutes of [the card going to auction] being announced. This is the most notable card ever in terms of our impression tracking on social media.”

Fanatics Collectibles relies in Los Angeles, and Bell stated all Fanatics Accumulate proceeds will go towards L.A. fireplace reduction. Fanatics has additionally supported reduction efforts with LA Robust merchandise.

The household advised Fanatics the sale will ship their 11-year-old and his brother to school.

“Whatever they have in mind for their college, they’re going to split down the middle as a savings,” Lenane stated. “There’s some small amount set aside for cards, but it’s tiny compared to the college bill. The vast majority is going into college-type savings plans.”