News

An 11-year-old from Los Angeles is about to make more money off a baseball card than the actual Major League pitcher on it. Yes, you read that right. A one-of-a-kind Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card is soaring past expectations, with bids currently outpacing the Pittsburgh Pirates’ ace’s base salary for 2025.

As of Wednesday night, the Fanatics Collect auction had already hit a staggering $550,000 for the PSA 10 gem-mint card, featuring a patch straight from Skenes’ debut jersey and his autograph. Factor in the auction house’s buyer’s premium, and the final price tag could swell to $660,000—all before the bidding war even reaches its climax on March 20.

For context, Skenes’ 2025 base salary? A mere $800,000. Not bad for a guy who throws 100+ MPH, but even better for the kid who pulled this golden ticket from a pack.

A New King of the Hobby?

This isn’t just another collectible—it’s obliterating records for Skenes memorabilia. Until now, his most expensive card was a one-of-one 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospect Superfractor, which sold for $123,200 last September. This Debut Patch beast has already quadrupled that amount with time left on the clock.

To put this sale into perspective, only six cards in 2024 have sold for more than the current Skenes bid, according to Card Ladder’s database:

1. Babe Ruth’s 1916 rookie card - $1.37 million
2. LeBron James’ 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite RPA - $1.2 million
3. Roberto Clemente’s 1955 Topps PSA 9 - $1 million
4. Victor Wembanyama’s 2023 Prizm Nebula 1/1 - $860,100
5. Allen Iverson’s 1997 Skybox E-X Essential Credentials Now - $701,500
6. Kobe Bryant’s 1997 Skybox E-X Essential Credentials Now - $579,500

For those keeping score at home, this Skenes card has already outpaced Shohei Ohtani’s record sale ($533,140 for a pristine Bowman Chrome Rookie Autograph) and could soon leave Mickey Mantle and Honus Wagner shaking in their display cases.

The Million-Dollar Question: How High Will It Go?

The hype around this card isn’t just about Skenes’ talent. It’s the perfect storm of storytelling, scarcity, and star power.

• Skenes’ meteoric rise: He’s one of the most electrifying young pitchers in baseball, already an NL Rookie of the Year and an All-Star starter.
• The mystery of the 11-year-old seller: The young collector who pulled the card has stayed anonymous for privacy reasons, adding intrigue to the narrative.
• The Livvy Dunne factor: Skenes’ girlfriend, one of the biggest NIL stars in NCAA history, has brought mainstream attention to this auction.

No matter where the hammer finally drops, this Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card is rewriting the rulebook for modern sports memorabilia. And somewhere in L.A., there’s an 11-year-old who just pulled the biggest financial flex in baseball card history.

Stay tuned—because this auction is far from over.