Unique Paul Skenes card to be auctioned for charity after 11-year-old declines Pirates offer
An 11-year-old collector has reportedly declined an elaborate offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a unique trading card of rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.
The one-of-one Topps “Rookie Debut Patch Autograph” card will instead be auctioned at the Fanatics Collect March Premier, according to MLB.com, with proceeds to be donated to Los Angeles fires relief funds.
The card, estimated to fetch at least six figures, was sought by collectors for months before the young Los Angeles native unwrapped the prize in a box of 2024 Tops Chrome Update cards he received as a Christmas gift.
The Pirates announced in November an extensive offer for the card to any fan to eventually find it, including two season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, two autographed Skenes jerseys, a meet-and-greet with the former LSU star, private tours and other events at both PNC Park and spring training facilities.
Skenes’ girlfriend Olivia Dunne, the famous LSU gymnast and social-media influencer, then further sweetened the pot with an offer to join her in her suite for a game.
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Ultimately that generous offer wasn’t enough for the Pirates to land the card, though, as the young fan is reportedly instead opting to leverage the item for a good cause for his community.
Skenes helped lead the Tigers to the 2023 national championship in a decorated lone season in Baton Rouge that included multiple National Player of the Year honors.
Pittsburgh selected him No. 1 overall in that summer’s MLB Draft, and he carried his exceptional performance immediately to the professional ranks with a 2024 All-MLB First-Team, National League All-Star and National League Rookie of the Year performance.
Skenes started 23 games with an 11-3 record, a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 170 strikeouts to just 32 walks — one of the top ratios in the Majors.
