Unique Paul Skenes autographed baseball card found by young Los Angeles collector

A unique Paul Skenes autographed patch card has been found by an 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles, Topps announced on Tuesday.

The 1/1 rookie debut patch card of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and 2024 NL Rookie of the Year was part of Topps’ 2024 Chrome Update set, which was released in November. The highly-sought-after card is one of the more valuable pieces in the collection — so much so that Skenes’ own team put up a bounty if it was found.

After the set was released, the Pirates announced that whoever found the Skenes card would be eligible for a number of prizes if they chose to accept. Included in their offer is two Pirates season tickets behind home plate for 30 years; the ability to host a softball game with team alumni for 30 people at PNC Park; and a spring training experience that includes meeting Skenes, taking batting practice at their facility, and taking home two autographed Skenes jerseys.

Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, added to the haul offering the winner a spot in her suite during a Pirates game.

The collector’s identity has not been revealed.

Skenes, 22, is one of the best young players in MLB and will be a key part of the Pirates’ rotation going forward. His rookie campaign was one to remember, with the 22-year-old pitching 133 innings with 170 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.96. He was also the starting pitcher for the NL in the All-Star Game.