Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain rookie card makes history with record sale
Wilt Chamberlain was one of the most dominant players in NBA history, and the only player to score 100 points in an NBA game.
Now Chamberlain has carved out a spot in sports collectibles history with his 1961-62 Fleer rookie card selling for $1.7 million at Goldin Co. The sale is believed to be a record for vintage (pre-1980) basketball cards and a record for Chamberlain’s iconic rookie card.
The card, graded SCG 10, was purchased via private sale through Goldin. It features Chamberlain in his Philadelphia Warriors uniform. He won the first of his four MVP awards during his rookie season in 1959-60, averaging an astounding 37.6 points and 27 rebounds per game. Two years later, in the 1961-62 season, he averaged an NBA record 50.4 points, highlighted by his famous 100-point game against the New York Knicks.
The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball set is a legendary set, featuring rookie cards from three of the greatest basketball players of all time: Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West. The Chamberlain card is also a record for the set.
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The card was found in a grocery store in Crosby, Minn., where it was stored in a cabinet for more than 60 years before a family member of the store’s owners stumbled upon it.
“As soon as I saw the card in person, I knew this would be life-changing. Still in a state of shock that I was the one who got to send for grading and put this monumental and historic card on the market with Goldin,” said Caleb Baker, who consigned the card to Goldin.
The Chamberlain card is one of a number of records recently set by Goldin. Goldin’s August Elite Auction featured record sales for cards of Elly De La Cruz, Jackson Holliday, Anthony Richardson, and more.
