Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch Autograph Card Sells for Unbelievable Total
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The wait is over. After one of the hottest chases The Hobby has seen in years, Paul Skenes' widely-coveted MLB Rookie Debut Patch Autograph Card has sold at auction through Fanatics Collect for $1,110,000. The auction, which began on March 6, received 64 bids, with the winning bid placed minutes before the auction came to a close on Thursday night.
𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: The Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card has sold at auction for $1,110,000.
— Topps (@Topps) March 21, 2025
Of all active MLB players, only Mike Trout has ever had a card sell for more. pic.twitter.com/TG69RsisIe
The chase for the card itself became a national story, after Skenes' team, the Pittsburgh Pirates offered a massive bounty for the card, including two season tickets for the next 30 years. The auction backs up the hype the card received, showing the power of Paul Skenes in the current-day hobby. And above all, it is a huge payday for the 11-year old who pulled the card on Christmas Day.
RELATED: With Rare Skenes Pulled, A Lookahead to Potential 2025 Rookie MLB Debut Patch Cards
Skenes' Rookie Debut Patch Autograph Card headlined a loaded class that caught the attention of collectors everywhere. Elly De La Cruz's RDPA was pulled by Hobby Legends on November 18. Milwaukee's young phenom Jackson Chourio's sold for $105,000 in late 2024.
RELATED: Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch Card Auction Going Crazy With One Day Left
The RDPA of rising star Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays sold in December for $66,000. More recently, Masyn Winn of the St. Louis Cardinals saw his RDPA fetch $75,000 on Feburary 7. Rookie Debut Patch Auto cards have become some of the hottest cards in the hobby, and will be extended to NFL and NBA offerings when Topps' licenses begin.
While there's no doubting that Skenes has been one of the stories of the collecting world during his rapid ascension to superstardom, the massive price for the card far exceeds the amount for paid for the rest of his class. It will be fascinating to see where names like De La Cruz or other top prospects land if their RDPA's are eventually put up for sale.
RELATED: Journal of 11-year old Who Pulled Skenes 1/1 Patch Made Public
The $1,110,000 paid for Skenes' RDPA is the top Skenes sale of all-time, and represents a huge investment in the future of the ace. Skenes is favored to win this year's NL Cy Young Award, something that the buyer of this card would no doubt love to see.
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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