PITTSBURGH – A picture is often worth a thousand words. In this case, when accompanied by a game-worn debut patch, it’s worth one million dollars.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes isn’t scheduled to appear in an actual baseball game until his next start Monday night, but that didn’t stop his much-discussed rookie card from creating a palpable buzz at Dick’s Sporting Goods’ flagship store on Friday, as the company unveiled the pitcher’s Rookie Debut Patch Autograph 1/1 — for which it paid an eye-popping $1.11 million at auction in March.
A one-of-a-kind display for a 1/1 card ????
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A closer look at the presentation for the Paul Skenes RDPA 1/1 at @DICKS House of Sport in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/1wiI9fAoVh
“We thought the Skenes card would be an amazing thing to bring back to the Pittsburgh community,” said Dick’s Senior Vice President of Team Sports, David Progar. “It’s already such an iconic piece of sports memorabilia that I think it is going to be an amazing experience for fans to come in here, see, and experience the card.”
The fanfare that surrounded the showcase was every bit as over-the-top as its eye-popping price tag, and included three armed police officers meandering about the display as a security measure.
Multiple local news stations, a few national media outlets, and a spattering of fans lined up to grab an early look at the collectible, which will be on display on the bottom level of Dick’s two-story Ross Park Mall flagship location on the outskirts of Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.
According to Progar, Dick’s also plans to host pop-up events involving the card around the Pittsburgh community, possibly including displays in conjunction with the Pirates.
“We have talked to the Pirates since we acquired it,” he said. “We have discussed some potential activation with them and the card going forward this summer.
“We want to provide the opportunity for both hardcore collectors and also sports fans to come see this piece of history.”
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The one-of-a-kind card first made headlines last November when the Pirates offered a package that included, among other things, 30 years of season tickets to the lucky fan who discovered the treasure inside a pack of 2024 Topps Chrome Update.
The card was eventually pulled by an 11-year-old collector from Los Angeles, who elected instead to take the ultra-rare find to auction with Fanatics Collect.
Enter the largest sporting goods chain in the United States — a juggernaut of a corporation with deep pockets and a headquarters that just so happens to sit 13 miles away from the Pirates’ PNC Park.
Dick’s also used Friday's event to launch its new Collectors Clubhouse shop, which features cards, memorabilia, and other collectibles as an in-store department. The company hopes to expand the project beyond Pittsburgh in the near future.
“We knew the card was going up for auction, and we think there is a big opportunity with trading cards,” Progar said. “We also were preparing to launch our Collectors Clubhouse here at our House of Sport location, so the two things were a great chance to show the world that we are serious about the trading card opportunity.”
Rob Cassidy is a freelance reporter for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.