Teenager Turns Free Raccoon Baseball Card Into More Than $20K
One thirteen-year-old girl went to a Seattle Mariners game expecting a night of baseball. Young Abby walked out holding the only gold Jimothy card in existence…and eventually turned it into more than $20,000 for her future.
T-Mobile Park shared in an Aug. 5 post on X that the teen had pulled the one-of-one gold card during a giveaway celebrating Jimothy, Seattle’s unexpectedly famous raccoon.
The Mariners distributed Jimothy rookie cards to the first 20,000 fans, with rarer versions mixed into the giveaway. This lucky teenager happened to receive the rarest of them all.
Her family did not initially realize what they had. Mom Jessie told The Seattle Times that other fans began approaching them about the card during the game. The family ultimately held onto it and later put it up for auction.
A Free Giveaway Becomes a Five-Figure Sale
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Talk about a one-of-a-kind pull 🦝
13-year-old Abby is the lucky fan who pulled the 1-of-1 Gold Jimothy card tonight! pic.twitter.com/YjAow0a964
— T-Mobile Park (@TMobilePark) August 6, 2026
The card eventually sold on eBay for $20,100 after 100 bids, according to its eBay listing.
Jessie said the family wanted to be smart, feeling that “if we can leverage this for Abby’s college or Abby’s future home purchase, we’re going to be smart about it.”
They locked in on one priority in particular once the gold dust settled: the proceeds are going toward the teen’s college fund.
That is quite a return on a card handed out for free at the stadium.
The value lies in its scarcity. T-Mobile Park identified Abby’s version as a genuine one-of-one, meaning only a single gold copy was produced. Other limited Jimothy cards were also mixed into the promotion, but none matched the rarity of the gold version.
How Jimothy Became a Baseball Star
Jimothy’s rise to stardom began far away from the baseball diamond.
Seattle resident Kiana Hall posted the original Instagram video after spotting the unusually shaped raccoon in the city’s Ballard neighborhood in July. The clip quickly spread online.
The Mariners soon joined the local fascination. Jimothy appeared in the team’s Salmon Run, inspired special merchandise, and became the centerpiece of the August card giveaway.
The Mariners’ Jimothy promotion also raised money for the Ballard Food Bank, with $2 from each special ticket sold going to the organization. Jimothy truly has been the gift that keeps on giving.
