Victor Wembanyama, the basketball prodigy taking the sports world by storm, has not only dominated the court but also the grading charts. His 2023 Prizm rookie card has made history by surpassing 24,000 PSA 10 grades, marking it as the highest PSA 10 population card of all time.
This surge in grading numbers harkens back to the bygone era of mass-produced cards known as the Junk Wax Era. However, unlike the scarcity of that time, Wembanyama’s cards are abundant but highly coveted, particularly in the pristine PSA 10 grade. His meteoric rise in the grading world has brought both excitement and caution to collectors, as the market teeters on the edge of what some are terming the modern Junk Wax Era.
The comparison to legendary players like Luka Dončić, Zion Williamson, and Fernando Tatís Jr. underscores the rarity of Wembanyama’s feat. The young athlete has etched his name alongside these stars, solidifying his place in collector history. With his Prizm rookie card breaking records and a special Monopoly edition further fueling the grading frenzy, Wembanyama stands out as a phenomenon in the world of sports cards.
Panini’s collaboration with Monopoly to produce a special card set featuring Wembanyama has only added fuel to the grading fire. The numbers speak for themselves: over 40,000 total graded Prizm rookie cards with a remarkable 60% gem rate producing more than 24,000 PSA 10s. The Monopoly edition, with over 17,000 graded and a 61% gem rate, has further solidified Wembanyama’s rookie year dominance.
While the current numbers are awe-inspiring, they fall short of the monumental figures seen during the Junk Wax Era, notably by players like Ken Griffey Jr. His iconic cards from the late ’80s still hold the all-time records for total graded copies, showcasing the stark differences between eras in the sports card collecting world.
The echo of the Junk Wax Era in Wembanyama’s grading surge serves as a cautionary tale for collectors, emphasizing the enduring importance of rarity and condition in determining long-term value. As the hobby navigates this resurgence in mass grading and the rise of modern sports stars, collectors are reminded that the essence of collecting lies not just in the numbers but in the stories behind each card.
As Victor Wembanyama continues to rewrite the rules of the grading game, collectors are left to ponder the future of the hobby in the wake of this record-breaking rookie card. Will he surpass the legendary figures of players like Ken Griffey Jr.? Only time will tell, but for now, the sports card world remains captivated by the rise of a new phenom and the echoes of a bygone era.
