Paul Skenes’ Topps Rookie Debut Patch autographed card found by 11-year-old collector

One of the sports card hobby’s most sought-after modern cards came to light Tuesday.

The 2024 Topps Chrome Update Rookie Debut Patch one-of-one autographed card for Pittsburgh Pirates phenom pitcher Paul Skenes was pulled by an 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles, the card company announced via social media.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: The Paul Skenes 1/1 Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card has been pulled by an 11-year-old collector from Los Angeles, CA. pic.twitter.com/tYZe5KuqM2

— Topps (@Topps) January 21, 2025

No other details were immediately released.

Collectors have been hunting for Skenes’ unique rookie patch autographed card ever since the release of the 2024 Topps Chrome Update set dropped in November. Many collectors have offered up bounties for the card, most notably the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team has offered a package that includes two season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park for 30 years and a host of other unique experiences and items.

To the lucky person who finds this card… We’d love to bring this card home to PNC Park to share with all Buccos fans.

Here’s our offer: https://t.co/qSDgZg3C8p pic.twitter.com/efNGhjidQ4

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) November 15, 2024

Shortly after Topps released the news Tuesday, the Pirates reaffirmed their offer for the card via Instagram.

The MLB Debut Patch, which was first introduced last year, has been one of Fanatics’ most prominent innovations since acquiring Topps. Before each player’s first MLB game they play, a small patch is placed on the sleeve of their uniform. Once that game is complete the patch is removed and put into a trading card that the player autographs. The card then goes into a set and becomes a highly coveted and unique collectible. This is also currently being done in MLS, for which Topps also has a trading card license. And with Topps acquiring the licenses for both the NFL and NBA in the coming years, plans for expanding the program to those leagues are also being made.

Via Card Ladder, the Rookie Debut Patch carrying the highest price tag on the open market came from the Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero. His PSA 9 graded card sold for $66,000 on Dec. 20. The Rookie Debut Patch card for the Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz received a PSA 10 grade recently and should also fetch a much higher price than the Caminero card.The Skenes card should eclipse them all.

This story will be updated.

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(Photo: Joe Sargent / MLB Photos via Getty Images)