Gem-mint Wilt rookie found in grocery store cabinet
By John McTaggart
SI-Collects Writer
Is it just me or does everyone (other than yours truly, of course) and their brother seem to be finding vintage sports card treasures in their late uncle’s closet, at the bottom of a random box they found at a yard sale, or up in the attic of a house they just bought?
Well, as if all these obscure locales weren’t enough, let’s add a new crease to this already wrinkled tapestry of good fortune — in a cabinet of an old grocery store.
According to SGC grading, the company announced the grading of its first SGC 10 1961-62 Fleer basketball #8 Wilt Chamberlain rookie card. The company has graded over 600 61-62 Chamberlian’s and had yet to see a gem-mint copy — until now.
“Our graders literally could not believe their eyes,” SGC president Peter Steinberg said, in a video posted to X. “Wilt rookies are one of the most iconic and sought-after vintage basketball cards. However, it’s also one of the most condition-sensitive cards. It’s nearly impossible to find in high grades.”
Print defects, poor centering, gum stains, and age-related condition issues, not to mention the propensity for kids in the 1960s to rubber band cards to the spokes of their bicycle wheels, are all often-seen imperfections in Chamberlain rookies submitted for grading, Steinberg added.
“As unlikely as it may seem, we can assume that back in the early 1960s a card came off the printing press in a flawless state,” he said. “The ink laid onto and adhered to the cardboard perfectly and the card was cut so that the image laid 50/50… within its borders.”
Couple this with the fact that it has survived more than 60 years in this same condition, and you truly have a generational vintage sports card discovery.
“The odds are astronomically slim — virtually impossible.” Steinberg said. “At least that’s what we thought. This card may well be the most impressive trading card that I’ve ever seen in my time at SGC. To be clear, you will never find an example nicer than this one.”
Although the exact origin of the card is unknown, media reports have suggested the iconic Chamberlain may have come from an unopened pack found in a cabinet in a old grocery store in Minnesota, where it sat untouched for more than six decades.
It’s unclear what the fate of this seemingly once-in-a-lifetime find is right now, namely whether it’ll head to auction or not, but we do know that the value will likely set the standard for the highly sought after 61-62 Fleer 66-card basketball set.
For some context, in Feb. 2022, a SGC 9 61-62 #8 Fleer basketball Chamberlain sold at auction for $159,484, while a PSA 9 copy of the same card went for $198,000 this year. A PSA 10 (pop. 3) copy hasn’t sold publicly in nearly two decades.
“Stories and experiences like this one are what make our hobby so special,” Steinberg said. “I cannot wait to follow this gem’s journey for many years to come.”
That makes two of us, Peter.
John McTaggart has been in the trading card industry officially since 1986 (unofficially since 1979 when he opened his first pack of Topps baseball cards) when he and his younger brother started setting up at local card shows. Since then, his passion and love for the hobby, and the business-side of the hobby, in particular, has not wained one bit. John is an award-winning sports columnist, writer and photojournalist based in Detroit, Michigan. He currently is an executive editor for a big media outlet and the proud owner of The Detroit Trading Card Company LLC. He shares his home with a wife, four adorable dachshunds, two goldfish, his beloved golf clubs, and about a million sports cards (for real) on shelves in his basement. You can contact John at info@detroittradingcardco.com