Hidden within the latest round of Topps baseball cards is a special gem: a completely unique, autographed MLB debut rookie card for star Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. That card, stashed somewhere in a pack of Topps cards, was part of a set released on November 13 – and the Pirates are going all in for it.
On Friday, Pittsburgh announced an ambitious offer to the person who finds the Skenes rookie card. The team said it hoped to display the map at PNC Park, and was happy to offer some big rewards in exchange for the piece of history.
The offer includes season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, as well as the opportunity for the winner to host a softball game at PNC Park with coaching from former Pirates players. The person who finds the card will also get an extended spring training experience, including a tour of the Pirates facilities in Florida, a meet-and-greet with Skenes and autographed jerseys from the pitcher, and batting practice with the team.
Skenes’ girlfriend, gymnast Olivia Dunne, upped the stakes in a social media post with an offer of her own, adding that the card finder can also sit with her in her suite during a Pirates game.
Skenes, a finalist for NL Rookie of the Year, is one of the best young players in the league and will be an important 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 a 1.96 ERA.
MLB teams are known for offering large rewards to fans who receive valuable memorabilia, agreeing to return home run balls in exchange for meet-and-greets and memorabilia. But sometimes fans turn it down in favor of bigger payouts: This year, the fan who caught the ball on Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run turned down the Dodgers’ offer and instead walked away with the ball, where it ended up being sold for $4. 4 million was sold at auction. . (It is now a tourist attraction in Taiwan.)
Either way, for the lucky person who finds the Skenes card, this is an offer worth considering.
