In a world where sports memorabilia often balances somewhere between a collector’s passion and a retiree’s investment plan, a recent card sale has turned heads—and wallets. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, a name already known in sports circles for his prowess on the mound, has broken another record, albeit in the collector’s market. His 2024 Topps Chrome Update MLB debut patch autograph card fetched a whopping $1.11 million, including the buyer’s premium, in a sale that now marks a milestone for modern baseball cards. That’s a neat sum that even outshines Skenes’ projected base salary of $875,000 for the 2025 season. The only contemporary card outshining this beauty is, of course, the illustrious Mike Trout’s one-of-one rookie card that previously scored a massive $3.9 million.
Conducted through Fanatics Collect, the sale of Skenes’ card remains cloaked in intriguing anonymity. Perhaps the buyer prefers privacy—after all, parting with over a million dollars for a piece of glossy cardboard does come with its own set of attention. Yet, the absence of a public bidder only adds an extra layer of mystique to an already captivating tale in the memorabilia market.
A masterful creation by Topps, this unique card combines luxury and nostalgia, featuring Skenes’ autograph alongside a patch from the uniform he donned during his major league debut. Topps, operating under Major League Baseball’s exclusive trading card license, seemed to have hit a home run with this creation. Before Skenes turned this card into a slice of cardboard history, an Anthony Volpe card held the title for the priciest, moving hands privately for a “measly” $150,000, while Jackson Holiday’s debut patch autograph card formerly set hearts ablaze at a $198,000 auction sale.
But what truly adds a shimmer to the tale is the broader context of Skenes’ burgeoning career. He’s not merely outshining his contemporaries in auctions—this pitcher is spotlighted across stadiums. Named the National League’s All-Star Game starter, a finalist for the Cy Young award, and hailed as the 2024 Rookie of the Year, Skenes has sparked a collector’s frenzy rarely seen for modern athletes, barring maybe the likes of, well, Mike Trout.
This fever for Skenes reached a peak around the holidays when an unsuspecting 11-year-old Dodgers fan found himself the unlikely owner of this golden ticket—or, rather, card. A gifted redemption card led to a whirlwind of events, with the Pirates rolling out the proverbial red carpet. Offering 30 years of season tickets, meet-and-greets, exclusive jerseys, and private tours, they tried luring the kid. Even Skenes’ girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, was ready to host the young fan in her suite, with TV personality Seth Meyers making an offer just for a glimpse at the famed card. Yet, such is youthful wisdom—or perhaps counsel from sagacious parents—that the family politely declined these tantalizing offers, opting instead to strike gold at an auction house.
Fanatics Collect vice president Kevin Lenane became a sort of James Bond of cardboard relics, jetting to Texas to rendezvous with Topps, grading the card with PSA, and transporting it to New York. In a cleverly cinematic anecdote, during a flight, the pilot displayed understandable curiosity over what seemed to be exceptionally heavily secured cargo.
At Fanatics’ bustling Super Bowl LIX party in February, the card was given center stage, enshrined within a display case that might as well have been broadcasting ‘museum-worthy artifact.’ Fanatics Collect CEO Nick Bell almost needed extra lines for his phone and social media, overloaded with buzz from the card’s auction announcement. Even the young fan who serendipitously stumbled upon this treasure now looks forward to meeting his favorite player, Shohei Ohtani—arrangements, we’re told, are underway.
While few would turn down a windfall like this, the youngster’s family plans for the proceeds are refreshingly grounded. With future education in mind, the family is channeling most of the funds toward college savings for him and his brother. A slice might go into future collectibles, perhaps allowing for another day of memorable bidding, but Kevin Lenane of Fanatics confirmed education is the primary focus.
What began as a boy’s discovery tucked inside a holiday box has transformed into a saga of enterprise, excitement, and eventual prosperity. Quirky though it may seem, this story underscores how passion and patience can sometimes turn paper dreams into bank balance realities, making Paul Skenes not just a notable name in baseball but a significant figure in the annals of collecting lore.
