https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60...atch-topps-auction?source=user-shared-article The Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch one-of-a-kind autographed card from 2024 Topps Chrome Update pulled by an unnamed 11-year-old card collector from Los Angeles will be auctioned off by Fanatics Collect, the company announced Friday, capping off a public battle to acquire or sell the card. The card will be featured in the platform’s March premier auction. Fanatics Collect also announced proceeds from the card will be donated to Los Angeles fire relief funds. Advertisement This caps off a frantic week after Topps announced the card worth a potential seven figures had been pulled by a young collector. The wheels to make a decision on where to turn with the card accelerated Thursday when PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) announced via social media that the Skenes card received gem mint 10 grades on the quality of the card and the quality of the autograph. Even before grading, the value for the card could be estimated as a high six-figure item. With the gem mint grade, there’s an expectation the card could be sold for up to $1 million. The current record sale for a Skenes card is $123,220, which his 2023 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Autographs Superfractor (another 1/1 card) fetched in September. With a Debut Patch element, which Skenes wore on his jersey when he made his first start for the Pirates, it’s hard to compare the value of any other card to this one, though. According to PSA, the Skenes card was pulled from a pack as a redemption (meaning the owner would have to submit the code from the card through the Topps website to have the card mailed). The actual card was given to the family before it came to PSA for authentication and grading. The card was hand delivered to PSA on Thursday for a same-day turnaround grading at an expedited service level. PSA also said the card was submitted through a third party on behalf of the owner. It’s unclear whether the owner/family or the third party paid for the submission. The Skenes card after PSA grading. (Photo: PSA) Grading such a card would be expensive when compared to typical submissions. It would cost about $13,000 for a card deemed with more than $250,000 to undergo grading with a turnaround time of seven business days. There’s no service on the PSA website that includes a same-day turnaround. As of Jan. 24, the Skenes card was the fifth 2024 MLB Debut Patch card to yield a gem mint 10 grade from PSA. Out of the 191 documented cards found in this year’s 251-card insert checklist, according to TP35 Cards’ tracker, only 27 of them have been submitted to PSA for grading. Advertisement All of this pointed to the question of what the owner of the Skenes card would do next. In a Jan. 9 interview with The Athletic, nearly two weeks before the news of the Skenes card being pulled, Fanatics Collectibles CEO Mike Mahan debated the dilemma for the future owner of the Skenes card. “Fortunately, in the world of social media, there is a megaphone to say, ‘Hey, I want this card and I’m willing to pay for it,’” Mahan said. “And it’s been effective for people. A lot of people get the cards that they want that way. “We’ll see if someone wants to accept the Pirates’ offer or not, right? If you’re interested in Pirates season tickets, I think it’s one heck of an offer, if you live in Los Angeles, I think it’s going to be a little bit harder.” There was no shortage of suitors before the unearthing of the card, seemingly willing to buy it, offer their services to sell it or present the card owner with a plentiful package in exchange for the item. After the card was pulled, two entities most notably continued their plea to acquire it. On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates reaffirmed their offer from a couple of months ago that involved a package that includes two season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park — the team’s home venue — for 30 years and a host of other unique experiences and items. Skenes’ girlfriend Livvy Dunne, an LSU gymnast and social influencer, offered the card holder a chance to sit with her in a suite during a game if the person took the Pirates’ deal. On Wednesday, Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, took to social media to make a plea to the child and the family to consign the card with his company involving a unique caveat. Goldin said he hopes for a seven-figure price tag for the card, but the company would donate all of its typical percentage fee from the sale to a charity that would aid in the recovery and rebuilding efforts for those affected by the wildfires around the Los Angeles area. Advertisement “There are times when money is not everything. This is one of these times,” Goldin said in a video published Wednesday. “I hope this card goes for $1 million-plus, and I hope that Goldin is able to make a $200,000 plus donation to the LA rebuilding effort.” Goldin added, “Even the Pittsburgh Pirates, when they see this video, will go out and say, ‘You know something, give the card to Ken Goldin.’” On Friday, Topps shared images of journal entries it said were from the 11-year-old owner of the card, which lay out the story of how the child wanted a box of 2024 Chrome Update and how their parents initially thought the prices were too high. “When I was at school they found a hobby box for $320 which is still a ton! But since they are awesome they got the box,” the entries say. They go on to detail how the box was opened on Christmas morning and the Skenes redemption card was in the fifth pack they opened. “Me, my brother and my dad were like OMG!!!!” the entries continue. “Then my brain pooped and I started bouncing all over the place. … pulling this card is a dream come true.”
Glad a kid got the card. What do you think happens with the sale? Parents control that money I assume. Hopefully the kid and his bros get a piece of the pie.
Drive by post is this whole Skenes debut patch card pull weird to anyone else. Sorry if you all have already talked about this ad nauseum
IMO no. People just looking for stuff to be bothered/irritated/create conspiracies about. I find it very weird all the people demanding pictures of an 11year old.
Also, I’m mostly glad it didn’t go through one of the big break groups. That shit bothers me more than basically everything in the hobby
This is the funniest aspect of it to me, imo. All the people trying to find some sort of conspiracy in this think it's odd that it wasn't pulled on camera by a breaker. Somehow it's hard for them to believe a kid pulled it from a hobby box that was a Christmas present.
I got a endrick green refractor northern lights whatever and a cold palmer #75, but it's still shit Jayden Danns rookie too, so pulled the best one
Not at all I’m guilty of not doing any research of my own and just accepting some shit I saw on social media And complete transparency: because I’m so out of touch with the hobby I never considered the Pirates offer as a lowball. The fan in me probably would’ve taken that offer and had some fun times so there’s that
It would be an awesome package if you’re a Pirates fan who lives in Pittsburgh and pretty much no one else
I could see a universe where I’d sell the first 15 years worth of tickets to help fund the last 15 years of summers in Pittsburgh after I retire
I had a Josh Jung card that Josh wanted so we'd been messaging back and forth for a long time about meeting up. Had lunch today with him and he gave me a bunch of cool stuff in trade including these. That's him and his brother Jace on the bat who plays for the Tigers. Both proud red raiders Spoiler
you'd think this would be the nail in their coffin but they've survived asking girls for their IG handle so they could jack off to them later and also stealing a $15k (at the time) Trevor Lawrence Kaboom RC 1/1. So, I doubt anything will happen to them. Their "fanbase" is as despicable as they are.
In the original criminal complaint filed on Sept. 11, prosecutors listed some of the stolen items, which included: Trading cards of all-time basketball great Michael Jordan, baseball legends Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays and NHL star Connor McDavid Jerseys worn by former NBA great Reggie Miller and other star athletes Autographed pictures of tennis icon Rafael Nadal and other famous players. Dozier has agreed to pay the victims restitution of $108,692.49, authorities said. He faces a maximum sentence of five years behind bars when he's sentenced on April 22, officials said.
Hello. My father in law passed away and we are in the process of going through his things. He was a long time collector. I will prob be visiting this thread a lot in the coming weeks with questions/inquiries Was wondering what these packs would be worth? Ohtani rookie year along with Soto and Acuna Jr We have 2 of each. If anyone would want these just shoot me a pm and we can figure something out before I put them on EBay.
The Megas (top pic) have sold between $700-800 per box in the past 90 days The blaster has sold for anywhere between $325 (auction) and $600 in the past 90 days