Lionel Messi magic delivers $1.5 million as card value nearly doubles in a month

Lionel Messi has spent two decades turning impossible moments into routine history. He holds the record for 91 goals in a calendar year and eight Ballon d’Or titles.

He became Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals and remains La Liga’s greatest marksman. His feats extend to Argentina where he leads South America with 114 international strikes and two Golden Balls.

At Inter Miami he is Major League Soccer’s highest-paid star earning $20.45 million in guaranteed compensation. Sportico estimates his total contract value could approach $150 million over two and a half years.

Now the Argentine captain’s name has set another record well away from the pitch.

Lionel Messi cards sets new record

According to Ben Burrows of CLLCT a Messi rookie card has sold for $1.5 million.

The 2004/05 Panini Mega Cracks PSA 10 moved privately through Fanatics Collect’s new sales network.

That price surpasses the $1.1 million paid for a similar copy brokered by Goldin last week.

It also overtakes the $1.33 million paid for a 1958 Pele PSA 9 in 2022.
Scarcity drives value since only 20 of Messi’s rookie cards exist in perfect PSA 10 condition.

Last month a copy of the same card sold for 825,000 dollars in a private deal at Goldin on August 2.

Before these trades the highest price for his card was 336,000 dollars in June 2021.

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