Pirate treasure: Kid finds phenom Paul Skenes’ rookie baseball card

Jan 22

Chris Francis Sports Reporter

By Chris Francis (Sports Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

An 11-year-old baseball card collector from Los Angeles has made the find of a lifetime. The “2024 Topps Chrome Update Rookie Debut Patch,” a one-of-one autographed card featuring Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes, is his.

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Card maker Topps announced the find in a social media post on Tuesday, Jan. 21, with the bold headline “Found.”

The company later added that the child only opened one of their “Hobby boxes” –– which includes 96 cards –– when he found the coveted gem. The saga has since been playing out on the internet. Everyone, it seems, wants the potentially priceless card.

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The collectible commemorates one of the greatest seasons ever by a Pittsburgh Pirates rookie. Skenes went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, winning National League Rookie of the Year and finishing third for the Cy Young Award. Collectors have searched for it since the Topps released the box set in November.

The Pirates have offered a bonanza of treats and perks to the lucky 11-year-old. They include season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, a pair of autographed jerseys from Skenes, and a meet and greet with the player himself, just to name a few of the trade pieces.

An 11-year-old collector just pulled the Paul Skenes 1/1 Debut Patch card!

Our offer still stands… you know where to find us 🤝😏 https://t.co/jhY20ODzWa pic.twitter.com/kpdT6u99Sc
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) January 21, 2025

Skenes’ girlfriend, former collegiate gymnast and now influencer, Livvy Dunne, upped the offer with a seat in her suite at PNC Park during a Pirates game this season if they take the deal.

Let's raise the stakes…the person who finds the card can sit with me at a Pirates game in my suite https://t.co/WZTk5SxHW5
— Olivia Dunne (@livvydunne) November 15, 2024

However, none of those offers may be big enough to move the needle. The Skenes rookie card could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the near future.

Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero’s 2024 card was sold in December for $66,000. New York Yankees star Anthony Volpe’s 2023 card also sold in July for $150,000. Neither of those players has come close to what Skenes has already accomplished in the big leagues after one season.

Tags: baseball, MLB, Pittsburgh

IF YOU’RE A BASEBALL CARD OR MEMORABILIA COLLECTOR, IT’S THE FIND OF A LIFETIME.
THE ONE OF ONE 2024 TOPPS ROOKIE AUTOGRAPHED CARD FOR PIRATES PITCHER PAUL SKENES IS IN THE HANDS OF AN 11 YEAR OLD COLLECTOR FROM LOS ANGELES.

CARD MAKER TOPPS ANNOUNCED THE FIND ON SOCIAL MEDIA TUESDAY WITH THE BOLD HEADLINE “FOUND” AND THE ENTIRE SAGA HAS PLAYED OUT ON THE INTERNET SINCE THEN. EVERYONE WANTS THIS CARD!

THE CARD COMMEMORATES ONE OF THE GREATEST SEASONS EVER BY A PIRATES ROOKIE. SKENES WENT 11-3 WITH A 1.96 ERA, WINNING NATIONAL LEAGUE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS AND FINISHING THIRD FOR THE NL CY YOUNG. COLLECTORS HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR IT SINCE THE TOPPS BOX SET WAS RELEASED IN NOVEMBER.

THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES HAVE OFFERED A BONANZA OF TREATS AND PERKS TO THE LUCKY 11 YEAR OLD. INCLUDING SEASON TICKETS BEHIND HOME PLATE FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS! A PAIR OF
AUTOGRAPHED JERSEYS AND A MEET AND GREET WITH SKENES HIMSELF, JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THE TRADE PIECES.

PAUL SKENES’ GIRLFRIEND, FORMER COLLEGIATE GYMNAST LIVVY DUNNE, UPPED THE OFFER WITH A SEAT IN HER SUITE FOR A PIRATES GAME THIS SEASON, IF THEY TAKE THE DEAL.

BUT NONE OF THOSE OFFERS MAY BE BIG ENOUGH TO MOVE THE NEEDLE. THE CARD MAY BE WORTH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. TAMPA BAY RAYS’ JUNIOR CAMINERO’S 2024 CARD WAS SOLD IN DECEMBER FOR $66,000 AND ANTHONY VOLPE’S 2023 CARD SOLD IN JULY FOR $150,000. NEITHER OF THOSE PLAYERS HAVE COME CLOSE TO WHAT SKENES HAS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED IN THE BIG LEAGUES.

CLEARLY TRADING IN BASEBALL CARDS IS BIG BUSINESS, IF YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE. HOW FAR WILL THE PIRATES GO TO GET THE CARD “HOME” AS THEY SAY? WE SHALL SEE BECAUSE I’M NOT SURE 30 YEARS OF PIRATES SEASON TICKETS IS GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CHRIS FRANCIS

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