SCP Auctions was thrilled with the result of many items in last Friday’s 2021 Summer Premier, but one that stood out was a 1965 match-worn and signed jersey from soccer legend Pelé graded MEARS A10. The shirt closed at a surprising and spectacular final price of $69,184. This price blew away any other outcome for a Pelé jersey in SCP’s history and was one of the best results across the hobby in recent years.
The shirt is both unique and iconic, featuring plenty of soiling and some blood droplets on the front center. Pelé wore it during a match played against West Germany on June 6th, 1965, in front of a crowd 140,000 strong at Maracana Stadium in Brazil. In this match, the footballer sealed the victory for Brazil by scoring the second of two goals for the team in the 90th minute.
The shirt is also signed by a variety of members of the Brazilian squad who played in the match. The iconic Pelé inscription is prominent, alongside Garrincha, Rildo, Rinaldo, Santos and others. The lucky winner will receive the jersey, along with a full LOA from MEARS graded A10 by the firm and a full LOA from PSA/DNA for the autographs. PSA also stated that the inscription in Portuguese in the upper right corner of the jersey is in Pelé’s hand.
Today, Pelé is known as one of the greatest and most successful players ever to take the pitch. Even the most casual fans of the game instantly recognize his name. He was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999, among many other honors. The legend’s three FIFA World Cup victories are still the most in history. Pelé’s career total of 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, is a documented Guinness World Record.
Complete results from SCP Auctions’ multimillion-dollar Summer Premier can be found here.