In the realm where sports memorabilia reigns supreme and trading cards are prized artifacts, a single card has recently made headlines that could render even the most esteemed collectors aflutter with envy. The artifact in question, a Topps Chrome Update card featuring Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, not only displays an on-card autograph but also includes a fragment—it’s more significant than simply a patch—from the jersey he wore during his major league debut. This cardboard marvel has recently been auctioned off for an eye-popping $1.11 million, a sum that includes the buyer’s premium, and set an entirely new precedent for modern baseball cards not donning Mike Trout’s visage. While Skenes plays ball with a base salary of $875,000 for 2025, his card has now comfortably eclipsed that figure.
The enigma hiding beneath the brim—our mysterious buyer—remains cloaked in secrecy. However, the facilitation of this sale was under the adept auspices of Fanatics Collect. This monumental sale thrashed previous records, such as the $150,000 private sale for an Anthony Volpe card and the $198,000 sale at auction for a Jackson Holiday debut patch autograph card.
Skenes, a sensation in the baseball world as the National League’s All-Star Game starting pitcher, a Cy Young finalist, and the star anchoring the title of 2024 Rookie of the Year, has stoked the kind of fervor in collectors not commonly seen since baseball cards first entered the scene. The fervor reached a fevered high last December when an 11-year-old Dodgers enthusiast, making his home in the echo of Chavez Ravine, unearthed a redemption card for Skenes from beneath the Christmas tree. The Pittsburgh Pirates swooped in with an enticing offer: thirty golden years of season tickets, the magic of a meet-and-greet with Skenes himself, dual signed jerseys, and exclusive tours of PNC Park as well as their training facilities. To add a final bow atop this cornucopia of bounty, Skenes’ partner, Livvy Dunne, promised to host this young cardholder in her VIP suite for a Pirates game, while talk show host Seth Meyers tossed in an invitation to his own show, just to bask in the glow of this prized card.
Yet, like a plot twist echoing Shakespearean intrigue, the family graciously set aside this treasure trove, opting instead to converse with auction houses before alighting on Fanatics Collect. Kevin Lenane, the vice president of Fanatics’ Marketplace, took it upon himself to venture deep into Texas, where he procured the card straight from the heart of Topps, quickly ushering it to be appraised by PSA, ensuring it was in tip-top condition, and then nurturing it back to New York. Fast forward to a fateful flight bound for California, where Lenane found himself sharing tales with the pilot, curiosity piqued by the fragile, highly insured freight nestled snug within the aircraft.
When February rolled around, Fanatics’ Super Bowl LIX party became the stage where the Skenes card, nestled in a protective case akin to a bank vault, drew fascinated spectators in droves. It was an astounding homage, so akin to those traditionally reserved for masterpieces hanging on museum walls, at least according to the discerning eye of Fanatics Collect CEO, Nick Bell. An increase more dramatic than a sudden silver-screen plot twist greeted Bell, as phones rang off their hooks and social media pulses throbbed with life following the public announcement of the auction. Meanwhile, the fortunate young fan—who counts among his baseball heroes one Shohei Ohtani—eagerly awaits what may inevitably become an unforgettable meeting with Skenes himself, a future pianoforte moment in young fandom cadenza courtesy of Fanatics.
Now, a hefty portion of the proceeds from the card sale is set to serve as a springboard into the collegiate cosmos for the young card discoverer and his sibling, laying the groundwork for their educational futures. Lenane remarks that while a sliver of these funds might venture back into the world of collectible treasures, the lion’s share will be wisely allocated to stewardship of college savings, ensuring a legacy that may one day rise in worth just like a classic baseball card itself.
