PHOTO COURTESY DICK’S SPORTING GOODS

The highly sought after baseball card featuring Paul Skenes’ one-of-a-kind Rookie Debut Patch is coming back to Pittsburgh.

The card, which was the subject of a frenzied search when Topps’ 2024 Rookie Update Series cards were released last fall, was found by an 11-year-old collector on Christmas morning in Los Angeles. The Pirates offered a treasure trove of tickets, experiences and memorabilia to the youngster in exchange for the card; perhaps uninterested in season tickets on the other side of the country, the young fan opted to put the card up for auction.

He was well rewarded for the decision: The card, which features the patch Skenes wore on his sleeve during his debut game, fetched $1.11 million. Only five baseball cards have ever sold for more, according to Topps.

On Friday, locally based retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods was revealed as the buyer — and the company plans to let the public have a glimpse of the card.

The card will be displayed at a to-be-constructed memorabilia display in the company’s House of Sport store at Ross Park Mall. While no date has been set for the unveiling, the company promised a “trading card and memorabilia experience” would be added to select House of Sport locations this spring.

Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, is expected to take the mound this Thursday as the Pirates begin their 2025 campaign at Miami.