2024 Topps Update #US100, Golden Mirror SSP ⭐ Paul Skenes RC
This is a "grail" card of sorts, for a Paul Skenes collector.
Skenes missed the cut for standard 2024 Topps Series 1 and Series 2.
He was instead placed as the ultimate headliner for 2024 Topps Update.
While he has a "Rookie Debut" card in the same set (#US288), the #US100 card is his true flagship base rookie card.
In the baseball card hobby, a player's base flagship card always commands a premium over their "Debut" variant.
It's a true Super-Short Print (SSP). Hobby experts estimate that only 100-150 of these cards exist.
To avoid confusion with other parallels, Topps changed the entire reverse side of the card to a completely gold-foil back, serving as a premium visual anchor that looks stunning when encased in a graded slab.
Normally, I post the card back as a reply, but in this case I will post the phenomenal looking back along with it's distinctive front image.