Earlier this week, a young collector pulled Paul Skens’ coveted autographed MLB debut patch card off the market.
An 11-year-old collector from Southern California who grabbed a unique baseball card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates’ star pitcher decided to reject a trade offer from an MLB franchise.
This card was featured in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set. On Friday, the trading card and collectibles manufacturer confirmed that the collector “chose to send the card to auction at @FanaticScollect instead,” Topps wrote in an Instagram post.
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Paul Skens of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 17, 2024 in Chicago. (Nuccio Dinuzzo/Getty Images)
The pirates offered a package of benefits in exchange for the card. For 30 years, premium Pirates season tickets have included tickets, the chance to play a softball game on the field, and a meet and greet with Sken and an autographed jersey among the team’s offerings.
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LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, who is dating Skenes, also offered incentives to card holders.
Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunn on the set of ESPN’s “College Gameday” at the LSU Quad in Baton Rouge on November 9, 2024. (LSU Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)
“Let’s up the stakes. Anyone who finds this card gets to sit with me at the Pirates game in my suite,” Dunn wrote in a post on her Instagram Story.
The collector wrote in a journal entry shared by Topps that grabbing the card was a “dream come true,” but apparently that dream didn’t come with the next 30 years of attending games at PNC Park. It seems so.
The Pirates admitted they were “upset” after learning of the Collector’s decision, but offered to have fans at games during the 2025 season.
A view of PNC Park as the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Philadelphia Phillies in Pittsburgh on June 21, 2024. (Charles Leclerc/USA TODAY SPORTS)
“Well…we’ve been in trouble for not seeing you behind home plate for 30 seasons. But we’d love to take you to Pittsburgh for a special day at PNC Park this season,” the team said. posted on X.
Fanatics Collect, which will be auctioning the cards in March, said it will donate proceeds from the Los Angeles-area sale to firefighting funds.
Skenes delivered a season to remember in 2024, finishing 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts. He was named to the MLB All-Star team before winning the National League Rookie of the Year award. Skenes was the top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and made his major league debut in May 2024.
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Rookies have been wearing MLB debut patches on their jerseys since 2023. Topps took the patch and created a unique card. This card could hold some pretty high value given the potentially bright future for the 22-year-old, who finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.
Skenes said over the weekend that he is not thinking about the possibility of signing a long-term contract to stay with the Pirates. 2029 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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