Grading in the world of sports card collecting has taken a sharp turn reminiscent of the mass-produced heydays of the Junk Wax Era, all thanks to the towering presence of basketball sensation Victor Wembanyama. According to the latest statistics from PSA in 2024, Wembanyama’s rookie card has set the grading charts ablaze, with six of the top 10 most graded cards belonging to this young prodigy. However, one card stands out among the rest, smashing all previous records in its path.
The 2023 Prizm Victor Wembanyama RC Base card has taken the collecting world by storm, boasting an astonishing number of over 24,400 PSA 10 grades. This figure continues to climb, making it the highest PSA 10 population card ever recorded, a feat once deemed unattainable in the modern card collecting hobby.
Wembanyama’s emergence has ushered in a new era in grading that may feel all too familiar to those who witnessed the frenzy surrounding Luka Dončić. Just like Luka’s 2018 Prizm rookie card surpassed the 20,000 PSA 10 mark, Wembanyama has shattered that milestone in under a year, propelling his card to the elite status of cards with 20,000+ PSA 10 grades.
The elite group that Wembanyama now belongs to includes the likes of Luka Dončić, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, and is on the cusp of welcoming Fernando Tatís Jr. into its fold. The surge in popularity for Wembanyama’s cards got an extra boost when Panini teamed up with Monopoly to release a special Prizm card featuring the rookie, resulting in over 10,000 PSA 10 grades for this unique edition.
The combined numbers for Wembanyama’s Prizm rookie cards are staggering, with the base card totaling over 40,000 graded copies and a 60% gem rate producing more than 24,000 PSA 10s. The Monopoly version, on the other hand, boasts 17,000 graded copies with a 61% gem rate, leading to over 10,000 PSA 10 grades. While these figures are mind-boggling, they still fall short of the monumental domination seen by Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie cards in the late ’80s.
The resurgence of mass production in Wembanyama’s cards might harken back to the days of the Junk Wax Era, where cards were plentiful but true rarity was scarce. However, the modern twist now is Panini’s production prowess and the increasing reliance on grading companies, leading to unprecedented submission volumes and gem rates not witnessed in the past.
As Wembanyama continues on his trajectory with over 40,000 graded cards in a year, there’s speculation whether he could rival Griffey’s legendary numbers—if Panini’s production output can sustain the momentum. Nonetheless, his 2023 Prizm rookie card has etched its place in hobby history, achieving in months what typically took years for other cards to accomplish.
The meteoric rise of Wembanyama in the grading world sparks both enthusiasm and caution among collectors. While his cards signify the escalating allure of basketball and the global magnetism of emerging stars, the sheer volume of graded cards raises concerns about their long-term value, amid what some are dubbing as the modern Junk Wax Era.
For collectors, the pivotal lesson remains clear: while Wembanyama’s cards hold historic significance, the rarity and condition of cards will always be the decisive factors in determining their enduring value. Presently, the hobby revels in the brilliance of a rookie sensation who has already left an indelible mark on the annals of grading history.
