1993 SkyBox “Art DeBart” Simpsons Sketch Card Sells For $24,375 at Auction

For collectors who find themselves at the crossroads of trading cards and pop culture, few pieces carry the same significance as a 1993 SkyBox Simpsons “Art DeBart” sketch card. Having been released during a time when insert innovation was in its infancy, this insert series not only introduced one of the very first mainstream sketch card concepts to the collectibles community, but it was also one of the first “redemption-only” insert sets. On September 11, this card sold for a jaw-dropping price of $24,375 via Heritage Auctions.

With the astronomical odds of finding such cards in 1 of every 9,000 packs, redeemers were rewarded with a hand-drawn Bart Simpson sketch by none other than The Simpsons creator himself, Matt Groening. With only 400 of these sketches ever produced, a brand-new standard was immediately set for the heights that premium pop culture insert cards could potentially achieve.

With that said, an original 1993 SkyBox “Art DeBart” Sketch, hand-numbered 123/400 graded PSA 10 (accompanied by an Auto 10 for Groening’s signature), is currently up for bid at Heritage Auctions. Groening’s depiction of Bart waving captures all the endearing qualities fans love about Springfield’s most-mischievous native son, his simplicity, his attitude, and his charm.

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From a collecting perspective, these cards have become legendary throughout the circle of pop culture enthusiasts and trading card collectors, as they represent both the inception of sketch cards as well as the rare intersection of television history meeting hobby innovation. The PSA 10 “Art DeBart” card isn’t just an ordinary trading card, it’s a grail among grails for collectors of all things Simpsons-related.