Bidding for Paul Skenes' debut patch climbs to $840k

Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes wore the MLB Rookie Debut Patch in his first big-league start May 11, 2024. (Credit: Getty Images)

As the auction nears its end Thursday night, the Paul Skenes Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card continues its record march.

As of Wednesday morning, bidding reached $840,000, including buyer's premium, at Fanatics Collect for the card, which already has set a public record for any Skenes card and any RDPA.

A total of 59 total bids have been placed in the auction, which closes Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.

The previous record for any Skenes card was the $123,220 paid for the 2023 Bowman Draft Chrome Prospects Autographs Superfractor 1/1 PSA 7 at Goldin Auctions in September.

The previous record for any RDPA was the $75,000 paid for the Masyn Winn copy on Fanatics Collect’s Buy Now marketplace in early February.

Meant to become the most coveted rookie card for every player featured, the Rookie Debut Patch Autograph program first appeared in 2023 Topps Chrome Update and features a one-of-a-kind patch that is worn only during a player’s major-league debut.

Skenes’ RDPA was included in the 2024 Topps Chrome Update release, which also featured debut patches for Jackson Holliday, Elly De La Cruz, Jackson Chourio and Junior Caminero.

The Skenes RDPA is up for bid during Fanatics Collect’s March Premier Auction, which runs from Thursday until March 20.

Along with the Skenes debut patch, the highly coveted 2023 National Treasures Victor Wembanyama Logoman 1/1 received significant early action shortly after bidding opened. That Logoman, considered one of Wembanyama’s most important rookie cards, had reached $110,000 on 21 bids early Thursday evening.

Arguably the most talked-about trading card in recent memory, the Skenes debut patch has been met with significant media coverage, public controversy and an extensive cross-country journey since being pulled by an 11-year-old collector on Christmas.

Since the redemption for the card was pulled, the card was created by Topps in Texas, signed by Skenes, flown to the collector’s Los Angeles-area home, graded by PSA in southern California and even displayed in both New York and New Orleans for the Super Bowl over the last two months.

The card is believed to currently be sitting in the Fanatics Collect vault outside Portland, Ore.

Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.

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