Robinson Township collectibles shop offering $250K for rare Paul Skenes rookie card
ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- A Robinson Township collectibles shop thinks it can one-up the Pirates' offer for a special, signed Paul Skenes rookie card.
SportsCards, Etc. will offer $250,000 to anyone who sells them the card and $350,000 if the customer pulls the card in their store.
The card includes the patch Skenes wore during his first MLB game.
The Pirates are already offering anyone who brings them the card two season tickets behind home plate for the next 30 years, with several other perks.
"When we saw the offer the Pirates made, we thought they kind of lowballed them a little bit, so we wanted to make a real offer on it," said store manager Chris Hoffield.
Hoffield said if he gets the card, he will hold on to it as an investment, knowing it could be worth far more down the line if Skenes continues on an upward career trajectory. However, he understands if someone takes the Pirates' offer instead.
"I think if you're a Pirate fan, it's amazing, I mean, if you want to go to 30 years' worth of Pirates games and go through the misery of watching them lose," Hoffield said with a chuckle.
Customers were pretty split on what they'd do with the card. Twelve-year-old Jordan Fazikas said he'd take the Pirates' offer.
"In the Home Plate Club, you get free food, and I also like watching baseball, so it's a good mix," Jordan said.
However, as much as he may want the tickets, he recognized the decision of what to do with the card would probably be up to his dad, who was wondering if it could be best used to start Jordan's college fund.
Jordan did not find the card in the three packs his dad bought for him.
"Looks like you are gonna have to work on Monday," Jordan's dad told him before explaining they'd probably buy more cards.
Other customers said they'd take the cash, while others said they would hold on to the card.
Hoffield said he's gotten calls from college-aged customers who want to find the card just so they can get the chance to meet Skenes' girlfriend, Livvy Dunne. She offered anyone who finds the card the ability to sit with her in her PNC Park suite for a Pirates game.