Skenes Card Sets New Record at $1.11 Million Sale
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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes’ 2024 Topps Chrome Update MLB debut patch autograph card sold for $1.11 million, including buyer’s premium, on Thursday. This record-setting sale marks the highest price for a Skenes card and the priciest modern baseball collectible outside of Mike Trout, whose one-of-a-kind rookie card sold for $3.9 million in August 2020. The buyer’s identity remains undisclosed, with the sale handled by Fanatics Collect.
The unique card features an on-card autograph and a patch from Skenes’ Pirates uniform worn during his major league debut, a concept introduced by Topps for the 2023 season under MLB’s exclusive trading card license. Prior to this, the highest price was $150,000 for an Anthony Volpe card in a private sale, while Jackson Holiday’s MLB debut patch autograph card fetched $198,000 at a recent auction.
Skenes, who boasts a 2025 base salary of $875,000, is recognized as a National League All-Star Game starting pitcher, a Cy Young finalist, and the 2024 Rookie of the Year. His rising profile spurred remarkable collector interest, highlighted when an 11-year-old Dodgers fan from Los Angeles pulled a Skenes redemption card from a Christmas gift. In response, the Pirates offered a bounty that included 30 years of season tickets, a meet-and-greet with Skenes, two signed jerseys, and exclusive tours of PNC Park and spring training facilities. Skenes’ girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, volunteered to host the card redeemer for a Pirates game, and television host Seth Meyers offered a VIP viewing experience, but the family opted to work with auction houses.
Kevin Lenane, Fanatics’ Marketplace vice president, personally collected the card from Topps in Texas. He transported it to the family in Los Angeles, arranged for its grading by PSA, and then returned it to New York. Lenane noted the process was complicated by the family’s multiple evacuations from their area. During a flight to California, a pilot expressed interest in the heavily insured cargo, prompting Lenane to discreetly share a photo.
At Fanatics’ Super Bowl LIX event in February, the card was displayed in a protective case that drew a crowd reminiscent of admiring a masterpiece, with CEO Nick Bell describing the scene as unparalleled in social media buzz. The 11-year-old fan, a follower of Shohei Ohtani, now looks forward to meeting Skenes in the future—a meeting Fanatics intends to facilitate.
Proceeds from the sale will largely fund college savings for the 11-year-old and his brother, with only a small portion reserved for future collectible acquisitions.
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