Victor Wembanyama card sells for record $860,100 despite season-ending injury
A one-of-a-kind Victor Wembanyama rookie card sold for $860,100 on Saturday night, setting a new record for one of his trading cards despite his season-ending injury being announced earlier in the week.
Wembanyama's 2023 Panini Prizm Nebula Choice 1/1 card was sold at auction by Goldin. The final sale exceeded the previous record for a Wembanyama card — his 2023 Prizm Black Shimmer 1/1 rookie card, which sold for $516,000 last April — by a considerable margin, particularly notable given the uncertainty around his health.
The latest sale suggests that Wembanyama's high-end card collectors remain bullish on the 21-year-old's long-term career prospects even after Wednesday's news that his season is likely over due to a blood clot in his right shoulder.
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When the news was first reported mid-day on Thursday, bidding was at just over $400,000 (including the buyer's premium). Following the announcement, it more than doubled to set a new record.
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While this sale sets a new benchmark for Wembanyama's cards going forward, his more attainable rookie cards are starting to show the effects of his injury on the market. Earlier in the week, his popular 2023 Prizm Silver parallel was selling for around $850 in a gem-mint PSA 10 grade. After his injury, it dropped to around $650-$700. Since his layoff will be lengthy, that figure seems likely to go even lower in the coming months. However, buyers of super-rare, 1/1 cards often don't have the luxury of timing the short-term market for the bottom. Specific one-of-a-kind cards usually go to market so rarely that buyers feel the need to take the opportunity when it comes, even if it's just after a development that could potentially add further risk to the long-term value of the purchase.
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