Spurs Week: How Much Are Victor Wembanyama Trading Cards Worth?

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is gearing up for his second NBA season, and with all the hype still surrounding him, the value of his trading cards is still going up.

Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and teammates react after a victory over the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

After a 14 year hiatus, Topps re-launched its iconic Chrome Basketball trading cards last month, featuring some of the first autographed rookie cards by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, as well as by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. 

Even with only one NBA season under his belt, Wembanyama is the most highly anticipated young player in the league — a talent who is expected to dominate the league in the next few years. The buzz surrounding the reigning unanimous Rookie of the Year is so overwhelming it’s nearly unprecedented. 

“I’m not sure if the hype for a rookie has been as high as it was for Wembanyama in quite some time,” Ken Goldin, an avid and longtime collector of highly valuable sports memorabilia also known as “The King of Collectibles,” told Spurs On SI.

READ MORE: Wembanyama's Pre-NBA Rookie Card Auctions For Record Amount

Most everyone from fans to sports trading cards collectors, even current and former NBA players, recognize Wembanyama’s potential to be a once-in-a-generation talent. This high volume of attention translates to the high price value of these new autographed cards. 

“Wemby cards are commanding some impressive values because he’s already demonstrating the legend he could become,” Goldin said. “We’ve sold cards for five and six figures already at Goldin, including a 2023-24 Panini Prizm Green Shimmer FOTL #136 Victor Wembanyama Rookie Card (#1/5) for $113,460 in May, a record for that card.” 

Avid sports trading card collector and owner of Blez Sports Cards, Bleznick, went as far as to place a bounty on one of the autographed Wembanyama rookie cards featured in the 2023-24 Topps Chrome Basketball card packs, offering $1 million to anyone lucky enough to find one.  

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A handful of these signed Topps Chrome Wembanyama rookie cards are currently up for auction at Goldin and top bids range from $1,400 to $14,000 — paltry sums compared to what the cards could be worth in just a few years. The value of sports trading cards fluctuate frequently, rising after an especially good performance and dipping during a losing streak.  

“What you see on the court absolutely impacts what you see in the collectibles market,” Goldin said. “When players are breaking records or (putting up) career-making (seasons), we can see some major fluctuations.”

Dec 31, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) goes in for a shot against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

If Wembanyama continues to surpass the endless expectations, then there’s no doubt that these signed Topps Chrome rookie cards will grow exponentially in value.

"Wemby is so exciting to watch on the court," Goldin said. "It’s why he’s already built a strong fanbase, and this is a major contributor to demand and value for his signed trading cards."

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