11-Year-Old’s Baseball Card Find Sells for $1.11 Million at Auction
After 64 heated bids, a rare Paul Skenes baseball card sold at auction for an amazing $1.11 million. The final amount jumped up because of a 20% buyer’s fee added at the end.
What makes this card so valuable? It includes a piece of the Pittsburgh Pirates star’s MLB debut uniform from May 11, 2024, plus his signature. The money will help victims of Southern California wildfires through the LA Fire Relief Fund.
It all started Christmas morning when a young Los Angeles collector opened a pack of 2024 Topps Chrome Update cards. Now 11 years old, the fortunate kid’s family will save most of the money for college, keeping some aside for future card collecting.
The Pirates made an amazing offer – 30 years of premium seats, chances to meet players, and signed merchandise. But the family decided to go with the auction instead.
Smashing the previous Rookie Debut Patch record of $150,000 set by Anthony Volpe last July, this sale is now second-highest ever for active players. Only Mike Trout’s rookie card ranks higher, selling for $3.9 million in 2020.
The National League’s standout rookie impressed in his first year, getting an 11-3 record with an incredible 1.96 ERA. His rookie pay? Just $875,000.
Making the All-Star Game topped off Skenes’ amazing season, which ended with a Cy Young Award nomination. His impressive performance set off a nationwide bidding war.
The buyer wanted to stay anonymous after getting this unique treasure. The sale marks another big moment in the booming market for premium baseball cards, where collectors keep breaking price records.
