Dick's Sporting Goods revealed as buyer of Paul Skenes' $1.1 million card

Retailer plans to put the card on display at one of its Pittsburgh locations

Cover Image for Dick's Sporting Goods revealed as buyer of Paul Skenes' $1.1 million card
Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes wore the MLB Rookie Debut Patch in his first big-league start May 11, 2024. (Credit: Getty Images)

National retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods announced Friday it had acquired the Paul Skenes Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card for $1.11 million in Fanatics Collect’s March Premier Auction.

The card will be put on display at the Dick’s House of Sport store at Ross Park in Pittsburgh.

According to the company, the card will be “showcased in a new collectors’ space” as part of a “broader initiative to roll out trading cards and memorabilia experiences across select House of Sport stores nationwide in Spring 2025.”

"Dick’s is passionate about bringing fans closer to the game," Dick’s executive chairman Ed Stack said in a statement. "Acquiring the Paul Skenes MLB Debut Patch card enables us to celebrate his incredible talent while giving our athletes a unique opportunity to experience a piece of baseball history up close.

"We're thrilled to bring this special card home and display it in our Pittsburgh House of Sport store where it can inspire the next generation of athletes and collectors."

The $1.11 million paid for the Skenes card to date is the most paid for any Skenes card at public auction and the most paid for any card from the Rookie Debut Patch Autograph program, which was launched by Topps in 2023 Topps Chrome Update.

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The chase for the Skenes RDPA received extensive media coverage following an offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates of 30 years worth of season tickets in exchange for the card. Skenes’ longtime girlfriend and LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne also offered a spot in her suite at a future Pirates game.

Skenes’ RPDA was eventually pulled by an 11-year-old collector from Los Angeles on Christmas. The boy’s family later consigned the card to Fanatics Collect with plans to use the money for college tuition.

Fanatics’ proceeds from the auction will benefit Los Angeles wildfire relief.

Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct.