Grading has resurged in the collecting world, reminiscent of the mass-production days of the Junk Wax Era, with Victor Wembanyama taking the spotlight. According to PSA’s 2024 data, the young basketball sensation has taken the grading charts by storm, with six of the top 10 most graded cards of the year bearing his name. However, one particular card stands out among the rest.
The 2023 Prizm Victor Wembanyama RC Base has seen a staggering 24,244 PSA 10 grades and counting, making it the highest PSA 10 population card of all time. This achievement was previously believed to be unattainable in the modern collecting landscape.
Wembanyama’s surge in the grading world draws parallels to the Luka Dončić craze, where the Slovenian star’s 2018 Prizm rookie card broke the 20,000 PSA 10 mark, hailed as an unprecedented milestone at the time. Now, Wembanyama has shattered that record in less than a year, ushering in a new era of extraordinary grading numbers.
Joining the ranks of elite cards with 20,000+ PSA 10 populations, such as Luka Dončić, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Juan Soto, Wembanyama’s Prizm rookie is making history in the world of sports cards.
Panini’s collaboration with Monopoly in creating a special Prizm card set featuring Wembanyama has only fueled the grading frenzy. The Monopoly version has garnered over 10,000 PSA 10 grades, complementing the dominance of Wembanyama’s rookie year.
When combined, the total graded numbers for Wembanyama’s base 2023 Prizm rookie and its Monopoly counterpart are staggering, showcasing the immense popularity of these cards. While these figures are astounding, they fall short of the legendary Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card dominance in the late ’80s, with his 1989 Upper Deck card still holding the all-time record with 116,000+ graded copies.
The reminiscent echoes of the Junk Wax Era are felt by long-time collectors, as Wembanyama’s record-breaking numbers hark back to a time of mass-produced cards saturating the market. Despite the lack of rarity in Wembanyama’s cards, the pursuit of high PSA grades echoes the grading fervor of the ’90s, albeit with a modern twist fueled by Panini’s production capabilities and collectors’ reliance on grading companies.
With over 40,000 graded cards in just a year, Wembanyama appears to be on track to challenge Griffey’s records, should Panini’s production volume support such growth. His rookie card has undeniably etched its place as a hobby legend, achieving feats in months that previously took years for other cards.
While Wembanyama’s rise in the grading world signifies enthusiasm and caution for collectors, it also prompts discussions on the significance of rarity and condition in determining long-term card value. As the market navigates what some deem as the modern Junk Wax Era, collectors are reminded of the timeless importance of these factors in shaping the hobby’s future.
