James Rodríguez Sees 2014 FIFA World Cup Prizm Auto Soar 2,800 Percent in Value

July 03, 2014

james-rodriguez

Seventeen dollars and 47 cents. That’s what a James Rodríguez 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Prizm Autograph sold for on June 17, three days after Rodríguez scored his first goal of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Colombia’s 3-0 tournament-opening victory over Greece. In the two weeks since, all Rodríguez has done is . . . score four more goals (kicking his way to the top of the adidas Golden Boot standings along the way) . . . help Colombia to three more victories . . . and lead his team into a monumental Friday showdown with host Brazil in the quarterfinals. Obviously, the world’s been watching.

On Tuesday, one of Rodríguez’s 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Prizm Autographs sold for . . . $499. For the record, that’s a gargantuan 2,800 percent value increase in roughly 14 days — the amount of time it took the 22-year-old wunderkind to hoist the Colombian national team atop his skillful shoulders and carry it boldly into global prominence.

It’s fitting that Rodríguez will be on the same field as Brazilian superstar Neymar tomorrow. The two already are peers in terms of Prizm Autograph value. Copies of Neymar’s base Prizm Autograph card are currently selling in the $500 range; when Panini America’s 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Prizm set first released in early May, Neymar autographs were selling in the $215 range. That’s a hefty ascent to be sure, but it pales in comparison to the rocket-fueled rise of Rodríguez — and his Panini America autograph values may still be on their way up. One of his Prizm Autograph parallels limited to just 25 copies has been bid up to $965 with still three days remaining.

“Coming into the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, Rodríguez didn’t have the name recognition of Premier League, Bundesliga or La Liga players, but he certainly had the talent,” said Panini America Brand Manager Aik Tongtharadol. “Many soccer fans took note when he burst onto the scene at F.C. Porto in 2010-11. This past season, his move to AS Monaco created an incredibly potent duo with fellow Colombian Radamel Falcao.

“As we reviewed each country’s roster for potential Prizm autographs, we felt Rodríguez was the perfect up-and-coming star to represent Colombia. We knew he and Colombia had great potential, but we felt they were primed for a breakout 2018 World Cup. However, there’s no time like the present. With his five-goal performance on the grandest soccer stage, Rodríguez is now commanding Neymar-like values on the secondary market — a great story for collectors and soccer fans worldwide.”

On Monday, Panini America will launch 57 different 1/1 autographs as the grand finale of the company’s ongoing 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Prizm “El Samba” auction, including Rodríguez’s green-and-gold colored gem. Who knows? Rodríguez could have Colombia preparing for a semifinal matchup by then — and $499 will seem like $17.87.