One of the sports card hobby’s most sought-after modern cards came to light Tuesday.
The 2024 Topps Chrome Update Rookie Debut Patch one-of-one autographed card for Pittsburgh Pirates phenom pitcher Paul Skenes was pulled by an 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles, the card company announced via social media. It later added that the child only opened one hobby box (which includes 24 packs with four cards in each pack) when they hit the card.
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
Collectors have been hunting for Skenes’ unique rookie patch autographed card ever since the release of the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set dropped in November. Many collectors have offered up bounties for the card, most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates and Livvy Dunne, Skenes’ girlfriend. The team has offered a package that includes two season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park for 30 years and a host of other unique experiences and items. Dunne, an LSU gymnast and social influencer, offered the card holder a chance to sit with her in a suite during a game if the person took the Pirates’ deal.
To the lucky person who finds this card… We’d love to bring this card home to PNC Park to share with all Buccos fans.
Here’s our offer: https://t.co/qSDgZg3C8p pic.twitter.com/efNGhjidQ4
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) November 15, 2024
Shortly after Topps released the news Tuesday, the Pirates reaffirmed their offer for the card via Instagram.
The MLB Debut Patch, which was first introduced last year, has been one of Fanatics’ most prominent innovations since acquiring Topps. Before each player’s first MLB game they play, a small patch is placed on the sleeve of their uniform. Once that game is complete the patch is removed and put into a trading card that the player autographs. The card then goes into a set and becomes a highly coveted and unique collectible. This is also currently being done in MLS, for which Topps also has a trading card license. And with Topps acquiring the licenses for both the NFL and NBA in the coming years, plans for expanding the program to those leagues are also being made.
“Getting to the big leagues is one thing,” Skenes said in a Topps-produced video right after signing the card. “Sticking around and pitching is another. This patch shows that I’m a big leaguer, and there are only so many people in the world who can say that. There’s kind of a small fraternity of people who can say they made their debut. There’s a small number of people who have this patch. To have something physical like that, to be able to commemorate it, it’s pretty cool.”
Via Card Ladder, the 2024 Rookie Debut Patch carrying the highest price tag on the open market came from the Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero. His PSA 9 graded card sold for $66,000 on Dec. 20. The Rookie Debut Patch card for the Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz received a PSA 10 grade recently and should also fetch a much higher price than the Caminero card. Last July, a $150,000 bounty was accepted for Anthony Volpe’s 2023 Debut Patch card.
The Skenes card should eclipse them all. Even hand-drawn imitations of the Skenes card have sold for significant amounts on eBay in recent months, with one going for $150 in November and another for $200 earlier this month.
With Skenes’ card found, there are 60 of the 251 Rookie Debut Patch cards not found, according to TP35 Cards’ tracker, which was cited by Topps.
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(Photo: Joe Sargent / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
