Rare Paul Skenes Rookie Card Sells for $1.11M

An 11-year-old boy shot to fame after selling a rare 1-of-1 autographed rookie card of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes for $1.1 million at auction. The card, which features Skenes' Rookie Debut Patch, became a sensation among collectors, surpassing previous records for similar cards. The boy, who found the card in a $320 box of Topps Chrome cards he received for Christmas, rejected lucrative offers from the Pirates and Skenes' girlfriend, opting instead to sell it through Fanatics Collect. The sale price not only makes it the second-most expensive modern baseball card but also exceeds Skenes' 2025 salary. The family intends to use the proceeds for college funds for the boy and his brother. Fanatics is also facilitating a potential meeting between the young collector and Skenes.