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Paul Skenes One-of-One Rookie Card Sold for More Than His 2025 Salary
Paul Skenes's one-of-a-kind debut patch baseball card sold on Thursday night at an auction for more money than the Pittsburgh Pirates star is set to earn on his 2025 salary, Fanatics Collectibles and Topps announced. The card sold for $1.11 million while Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, is set to earn $875,000 in the '25 campaign.
MLB, along with Fanatics Collectibles and Topps, introduced the debut patches in '23, which were worn by all players making their debuts starting that season. The one-of-a-kind patches were then authenticated by MLB and placed in rookie cards to be included in Topps trading sets.
And Skenes's card is the collection's crown jewel, thanks to his historic start in the majors.
Back in November when the card first became available, the Pirates announced a bounty they'd gift to the lucky individual who discovered the card. The massive offer consisted of two Pirates season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, a softball game for 30 at PNC Park and a Spring Training experience including a meet-and-greet with Skenes, among other perks. Skenes's girlfriend Olivia Dunne raised the stakes even higher when she stated in a November tweet that the finder of the rare card would get to sit in her luxury suite with her at a Pirates game.
An 11-year-old in Los Angeles discovered the card in January as part of a pack he had received as a Christmas present. But the young boy's family declined the Pirates offer and instead opted to sell the card through Fanatics Collectibles.
The identity of the card's buyer is not known. A 20 percent buyer's premium was included in the final price, and Fanatics Collectibles plans to donate the proceeds from the card's sale to the L.A. Fire Relief Fund, according to The Associated Press.
Skenes, 22, pitched to an 11–3 record with a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings pitched. He is set to take the mound on Opening Day for the Pirates on March 27 against the Miami Marlins.
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Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.