Grading fever strikes the sports card world once again, harkening back to the mass production era of Junk Wax. At the forefront of this resurgence stands Victor Wembanyama, basketball’s rising star, whose rookie card has taken the collecting community by storm. Reports from PSA reveal a staggering surge in grading activities, with Wembanyama’s cards commanding the spotlight.
The 2023 Prizm Victor Wembanyama RC Base card has become a household name among collectors, boasting a jaw-dropping PSA 10 population count of over 24,000 and steadily climbing. This unprecedented figure has officially crowned the card as the highest PSA 10 population card in modern hobby history, a feat previously deemed unattainable.
Drawing parallels to the Luka Dončić craze, veterans of the collecting world might find Wembanyama’s rapid ascent eerily familiar. In a matter of months, the young prodigy’s Prizm rookie card has shattered milestones, echoing the iconic rise of Dončić’s card which surpassed 20,000 PSA 10s. Wembanyama now joins an elite league of cards with over 20,000 PSA 10 populations, cementing his legacy alongside names like Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Juan Soto.
Panini’s strategic partnership with Monopoly has further fueled the fire, unveiling a special Monopoly-themed Wembanyama card set that has witnessed over 10,000 PSA 10 grades. The combined numbers of the base and Monopoly versions paint a staggering picture, solidifying Wembanyama’s rookie year dominance with over 40,000 total graded cards and counting.
While these figures evoke memories of the overproduction era of Junk Wax, where cards flooded the market, driving down scarcity but inflating availability, the modern grading frenzy carries a contemporary twist. With Panini’s production prowess and collectors’ reliance on grading services, the hobby experiences record-breaking submission rates and gem rates unseen in the ’90s.
Wembanyama’s potential to challenge Ken Griffey Jr.’s all-time records looms large, with over 40,000 graded cards in a single year hinting at a possible historic milestone. Yet, the hobby remains divided, balancing excitement over the rising star’s achievements with concerns surrounding long-term value in what some dub the modern Junk Wax Era.
Collectors receive a cautionary tale amidst the euphoria of Wembanyama’s rookie card saga. While his cards rewrite history with undeniable significance, the essence of rarity and condition endures as the ultimate determinants of lasting value. For now, enthusiasts revel in the allure of a rookie sensation who has etched his mark on the annals of grading lore.
