Paul Skenes 1-of-1 MLB Debut Rookie Card Purchased By DICK's Sporting Goods for $1.1M

The buyer of Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes' 1-of-1 Topps Chrome rookie debut patch card was unveiled on Friday.

DICK's Sporting Goods announced that it had purchased the card at auction for $1.1 million and will display it at the company's House of Sport store in Pittsburgh.

The card features Skenes' autograph as well as a patch that he wore on his uniform during his MLB debut in May 2024.

DICK'S Sporting Goods executive chairman Ed Stack discussed the purchase as part of the announcement.

"DICK'S is passionate about bringing fans closer to the game," Stack said. "Acquiring the Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card enables us to celebrate his incredible talent while giving our athletes a unique opportunity to experience a piece of baseball history up close. We're thrilled to bring this special card home and display it in our Pittsburgh House of Sport store where it can inspire the next generation of athletes and collectors."

The card was initially pulled by an 11-year-old boy from Los Angeles on Christmas morning. The Pirates organization made offers to obtain the card including two season tickets behind home plate for 30 years, a meet-and-greet with Skenes and two autographed jerseys from the pitcher.

Instead, it went up for auction after it was turned over to Fanatics Collect.

The boy will get $925,000 from the sale of the card, per Larry Holder of The Athletic. Meanwhile, Fanatics Collect pledged to donate their portion of the sale to the Los Angeles Fire Department and Red Cross to aid in the recovery from wildfires in California.

Skenes is looking to build upon a stellar inaugural season in 2024, finishing with an impressive 11-3 record in 23 starts to go along with a 1.96 ERA and 0.947 WHIP. He won National League Rookie of the Year honors and finished No. 3 in NL Cy Young Award voting.

As Skenes enters his second season with the Pirates, his rookie debut patch card is set to be displayed in Pittsburgh.