The search is finally over. The extremely rare and sought after Paul Skenes card from 2024 Topps Chrome Update has been found… By an 11-year-old in Los Angeles.
For months, tens of thousands of sports card collectors have feverishly searched for the 1/1 Skenes rookie debut patch autograph to no avail. But on Christmas Day, while opening presents with his family, the young collector pulled the hit of a lifetime.
𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: The Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card has been pulled by an 11-year-old collector from Los Angeles, CA. pic.twitter.com/tYZe5KuqM2
— Topps (@Topps) January 21, 2025
After the card was sent off for grading and returned as a gem mint 10 from Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), the decision had to be made: Accept the wild offer made by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Skenes’ girlfriend, American gymnast Livvy Dunne, or put the card up for auction.
The boy and his family ultimately chose the latter, much to the dismay of the Pirates organization.
“Well…we’re bummed that we won’t be seeing you behind home plate for 30 seasons,” the Pirates wrote on X. “But we’d still love to bring you to Pittsburgh for a special day at PNC Park this season.”
The Pirates had a bounty on the card that was unlike any the sports card industry had ever seen. They were offering a meet and greet with Skenes, two autographed Skenes jerseys, a softball game for 30 at PNC Park, two season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, and more.
Dunne upped the bounty to include one game in her private suite.
The value of the offer ranged from between $500,000 to $1 million but the boy and his family decided that was the floor after PSA returned the grade of 10 — the highest grade possible. The card will now be auctioned off by Fanatics Collect in March with proceeds benefitting the Los Angeles wildfires relief fund.
In a journal entry published by Topps with the permission of his parents, the boy said finding the Paul Skenes card was a “dream come true.”
