Alifabolaget (Sweden) - VM-spelare 1958 (03b) - Pelé - $288,000

1958

VM-spelare 1958

Alifabolaget

Sweden

36 cards

Almost twelve months ago I highlighted a Pelé from this set that sold for $57,000 at auction. That value has increased five-fold thanks to this card being sold at Goldin Auctions' latest sale on 31 October, 2020. Two other Pelé cards sold well above guide price. Here are the full catalogue descriptions for the three of them.

Lot 72 - 1958 Alifabolaget #635 Pele Rookie Card – PSA MINT 9

Pelé, considered by several generations of enthusiasts to be the world’s foremost "footballer," became a national hero in Brazil, and then he helped to jump-start soccer in the U.S. with his play for the New York Cosmos from 1975-77. Pelé is almost universally acclaimed as the most distinguished representative of the popular international sport.

In 1958, Brazil won its first of five World Cups. Pelé led his team to victory with a breathtaking clutch performance when he scored a hat trick in the semi-finals against France and two more goals in the finals against Sweden. His astounding accomplishments made the athlete an instant international sensation. The entire planet knew that Pelé had announced himself to the world, and that he was a superstar destined for greatness.

During his 15 years with the Brazil national team, Pelé broke hundreds of records. He is considered by FIFA to be the most prolific scorer in soccer history, with 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches across all competitions. He's the most prolific striker in Brazil's history with 77 goals in 92 international matches. Pelé is the only player to have won three World Cups, and he is one of only two players to have scored in four World Cup competitions.

Graded MINT 9 by PSA. National Soccer Hall of Fame and International Football Hall of Fame enshrinee, in a coveted Rookie Card appearance. This is one of just five examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of more than fifty copies recorded in PSA's census reporting. A truly exceptional, Swedish-issue collectible, this Pelé Rookie Card displays four razor-sharp corners and a clean, pristine surface. Its illustration is a rich, colorful and vibrant portrait of the 17-year-old soccer prodigy. (The star is shown on the field in his Brazilian uniform at the 1958 World Cup in Stockholm, Sweden.) An important and desirable piece, in top-tier Mint condition.

This outstanding collectible is emerging into a red-hot market for the finest soccer cards. As points of reference on value, a PSA NM 7 specimen recently sold for more than $43,000 in an online auction, and PSA's listing of auction results cites the sale of a PSA NM-MT 8 copy for $100,000.

Lot 95 - 1958 Editora Aquarela LTDA #10 Pele, Blue Number, Perforated Rookie Card – PSA NM 7 "1 of 1!"

Graded NM 7 by PSA. Hall of Famer, in a widely pursued, Brazilian-issue Rookie Card appearance. This is the only example at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of thirty-seven Blue Number copies recorded in PSA's census reporting. (Just a single specimen has attained the PSA EX-MT 6 level.) Here's a popular and iconic Pelé debut-year collectible from his home country, a piece that is very desirable among enthusiasts. Cards from this release are printed on extremely thin paper (and required detachment from a perforated sheet of cards that was attached to an album), so they are next to impossible to find in high grade. Worse, most of the cards were glued into albums shortly after they were purchased. The beautifully maintained card offered here represents a very special opportunity! Singular Near Mint condition.

Lot 96 - 1959 Heinerle Pele – PSA NM-MT 8 "1 of 1!"

Graded NM-MT 8 by PSA. Hall of Famer, in an internationally prized, German-issue trading card appearance. This is the only example at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of ninety-four copies recorded in PSA's census reporting. Offered here is a valuable and highly visual commemorative of the great Pelé in action in the 1958 World Cup Final, which Brazil won by defeating host country Sweden, 5-2. (The German text on the card's back indicates that the scene did indeed occur during the 1958 World Cup Finals.) The contest dramatically accelerated Pelé's career trajectory and cemented his reputation, effectively inaugurating the young star's enduring status as soccer's "Greatest Of All Time." This high-grade example, the finest of its type confirmed to date, stands as a superlative, historically significant Pelé commemorative. Unique Near Mint to Mint condition.