• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched CSG,CGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Ronald Acuna Jr. Cards
      • Shohei Ohtani Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2021-22 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2021-22 NHL Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
    • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Sports Card News / Vintage Sports Card News / Odd Anniversary: Wilt Held Scoreless

Odd Anniversary: Wilt Held Scoreless

March 27, 2017 By Chris Goodman

How could one possibly describe Wilt Chamberlain to the generations to come? Born in 1936 in Philadelphia, Wilt is generally recognized as one of the greatest centers in the history of the NBA. His play on the court was legendary. Fellow league players described him as virtually unstoppable.  His 100-point game in March of 1962 is one of sports’ most unbreakable records.

But did you know that on March 27, 1973, a healthy Wilt played 46 minutes and scored…zero points?  It’s the only time in his entire career that he didn’t dent the scoreboard.  

True, his career was winding down but Wilt was still effective. He snared 14 rebounds and dished out four assists in the one point loss to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Bucks that day and averaged more than 18 rebounds per game during the season.  He scored only one point the following night in the regular season finale and with off-the-court interests increasing at age 36, his NBA career was essentially over.

And what a career it was.

Wilt was an NBA champ in 1967 and 1972 but his career involved many more individual accomplishments. He was constantly double or triple teamed under the rim but it rarely made a difference. 

The statistics on the back of his basketball cards reflect a career scoring average unheard of in the modern era. During the season of his 100 point game Wilt averaged 50.4 points. For those who weren’t there, it’s hard to describe his dominance over a period of a dozen years.  Still, what you’d see on any black and white reel is still fabulously impressive.  

Wilt was not only a member of the Philadelphia Warriors for much of his career, he was a true warrior on the floor, averaging 45.8 minutes per contest. It’s hard to imagine many current NBA players matching it.

He was the center who changed the way basketball was played. Lanes were widened. Adjustments were made to try to cover the 7-1 center. None of which seemed to ever work during the course of his fabled career.

He eventually eclipsed the all time mark for points scored during an NBA career with 31,419. Unfortunately for Wilt, he was surpassed by several NBA legends in that column when Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan climbed atop the leaderboard for career points.

Wilt still holds the all time rebounding record, gathering 23,924 boards.

For collectors hoping to grab a Chamberlain card worth keeping, there are plenty of choices but his career checklist is relatively small because of the dearth of basketball cards produced during his 1960s prime.  

His rookie card is in the 1961-62 Fleer set (there’s also an in-action card).  Tough to find in high-grade because of centering, it’s among the most valuable basketball cards ever made. A 1974-75 Topps Wilt ChamberlainPSA 9 sold for $38,240 in 2016. You can own a mid-grade example for $700-$1,000.

Wilt was the #1 card when Topps got back into the basketball card game in 1969, which once again means a limited supply of high-grade cards.  Last year, a 9 sold for $9,560.  You can still land a near mint example for under $200, though.  

Wilt was back on Topps from 1970-1974, appearing on individual, leader and playoff cards.  His final Topps card, issued two years after that odd finish to his Lakers career, shows him as a player-coach with the San Diego Conquistadors, but he never played a game in the ABA and coached the Qs only during the 1973-74 season.

Wilt continues to appear on current era cards fairly regularly and before his death in October 1999, he did sign for a couple of Upper Deck sets and outside of his 1961 rookie, those cards remain among his most popular.

You can see the 13 current ‘most watched’ Wilt Chamberlain cards via the list below.

1961-62 Fleer Set-Break #  8 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 7 NM MBA SILVER 1961-62 Fleer Set-Break # 8 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 7 NM MBA SILVER
26 bids - Price: $7,990.00 - Watchers: 77
2020-21 Panini Immaculate Wilt Chamberlain Game-used Jersey 29/33 2020-21 Panini Immaculate Wilt Chamberlain Game-used Jersey 29/33
8 bids - Price: $78.00 - Watchers: 38
1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain Rookie Card #8 PSA Good 2 Philadelphia Warriors HOF 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain Rookie Card #8 PSA Good 2 Philadelphia Warriors HOF
14 bids - Price: $1,025.00 - Watchers: 37
2000 UD Game-used Warm-up Wilt Chamberlain All-star Jersey 166/300 2000 UD Game-used Warm-up Wilt Chamberlain All-star Jersey 166/300
20 bids - Price: $52.00 - Watchers: 36
2021-22 IMMACULATE PATCH PRIME WILT CHAMBERLAIN 3/3 BGS 8.5 Q1019 2021-22 IMMACULATE PATCH PRIME WILT CHAMBERLAIN 3/3 BGS 8.5 Q1019
7 bids - Price: $239.50 - Watchers: 30
1972-73 Topps Wilt Chamberlain #1 PSA 6 EX-MT 1972-73 Topps Wilt Chamberlain #1 PSA 6 EX-MT
14 bids - Price: $83.99 - Watchers: 24
1972-73 Topps Basketball WILT CHAMBERLAIN #1 Los Angeles Lakers PSA 8 NM-MT 1972-73 Topps Basketball WILT CHAMBERLAIN #1 Los Angeles Lakers PSA 8 NM-MT
13 bids - Price: $405.00 - Watchers: 22
WILT CHAMBERLAIN 1996 Topps Stars Auto Autograph Card w/ COA WILT CHAMBERLAIN 1996 Topps Stars Auto Autograph Card w/ COA
11 bids - Price: $26.00 - Watchers: 21
1973-74 Topps Set-Break # 80 Wilt Chamberlain EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS* 1973-74 Topps Set-Break # 80 Wilt Chamberlain EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS*
8 bids - Price: $8.50 - Watchers: 20
2022-23 Prizm Wilt Chamberlain Gold Sparkle Prizm #04/24 Lakers 2022-23 Prizm Wilt Chamberlain Gold Sparkle Prizm #04/24 Lakers
3 bids - Price: $12.50 - Watchers: 17
1961 Fleer Basketball Wilt Chamberlain In Action #47 PSA 5 EX NBA HOF   JSH 1961 Fleer Basketball Wilt Chamberlain In Action #47 PSA 5 EX NBA HOF JSH
9 bids - Price: $123.50 - Watchers: 16
2019 Panini One And One Wilt Chamberlain PSA 10 #159 Blue /75 LEGEND HOF 2019 Panini One And One Wilt Chamberlain PSA 10 #159 Blue /75 LEGEND HOF
5 bids - Price: $15.50 - Watchers: 14
WILT CHAMBERLAIN PSA 4 1971 TOPPS BASKETBALL #70 LAKERS HOF 7969 WILT CHAMBERLAIN PSA 4 1971 TOPPS BASKETBALL #70 LAKERS HOF 7969
6 bids - Price: $20.50 - Watchers: 12

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

Overlooked and Underrated Rookie Cards of NBA Greats – Part 3, the 1970s The Story of the ABA in 9 Rookie Cards 1973-74 Topps Basketball Set Low on Rookies; High on HOFers Topps basketball 1972-73 boxBest Vintage Hoops Bargain? 1972-73 Has Doc, HOF Horde PSA 10 1969-70 John Havlicek ToppsNBA Finals MVPs of the 1970s and Their Rookie Cards Vintage Cards Set Records in Memory Lane Auction Vintage Pack Break of the Week: 1975-76 Topps Basketball Wax

About Chris Goodman

Chris Goodman is a Midwest-based writer and broadcast pro who has been covering sports for more than 15 years. He's also a licensed insurance agent with experience in all types of coverage.

Filed Under: Vintage Sports Card News Tagged With: 1970s basketball cards, vintage basketball cards, wilt chamberlain

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

Shop Sports Cards on Ebay
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card eBay Auctions
  • PWCC Premier Auction
  • PWCC Fixed Price Marketplace
  • Graded Rookie Cards on eBay opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos on eBay opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window
  • Buy Boxes Directly from Topps opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Pristine Auction October 2023 Daily, Weekly and Featured Auctions
  • Alt Liquid Auctions Current Auction Ends October 12, 2023
  • One of a Kind Collectibles Rare Autograph & Document Auction Ends October 12, 2023

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Game Used Jerseysopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Vintage Basketball Cardsopens in a new window
  • NBA Signed Itemsopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • NASCAR Autographsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Player Picturesopens in a new window
  • Vintage Football Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window