1961-62 Fleer Basketball #3 Elgin Baylor
About this card
The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Elgin Baylor is card #3 of 66, in the set's Portrait subset (#1-44, the numbered portraits). It is the recognized Rookie Card for Elgin Baylor. It ranks among the five grail cards of the set (Chamberlain, Robertson, West, Baylor and Russell). It is one of the condition-sensitive early cards (#1-6) at the edge of the press sheet, where centering and clean edges are especially tough. 1961-62 Fleer was Fleer's only major NBA issue between the 1957-58 Topps set and the 1969-70 Topps era - 66 cards split into 44 Portrait cards (#1-44) and 22 In Action cards (#45-66), every one single-printed with no short prints.
About Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor, a 6-foot-5 forward known for his acrobatic scoring and hanging jump shot, starred at Seattle University — leading it to the 1958 NCAA title game — before the Minneapolis Lakers made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft. He was named 1959 Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game MVP, then earned 11 All-Star selections and 10 All-NBA First Team honors. On November 15, 1960, Baylor became the first player to break the 70-point barrier, scoring 71 against the New York Knicks, and he later set an NBA Finals single-game record with 61 points. Over 14 seasons, all with the Lakers, he averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds, and he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977. During the 1961-62 season this rookie card commemorates, Baylor averaged a remarkable 38.3 points across just 48 games — part of why it stands among the set's grails.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 698 | 0 | 9 | 66 | 134 | 133 | 111 | 187 | 58 |
| SGC | 746 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 42 | 70 | 126 | 411 | 84 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-09. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Live auctions Buy It Now Sold prices
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
More Los Angeles Lakers key cards
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1961-62 Fleer Elgin Baylor a rookie card?
Yes. The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball #3 Elgin Baylor is his recognized Rookie Card. The set's 19 rookie cards are all numbered Portrait cards (#1-44); a player's In Action card is a second card, not an RC.
How rare is the 1961-62 Fleer Elgin Baylor in high grade?
Condition-scarce. PSA has graded about 698 copies and SGC about 746, yet only 0 have reached PSA 10 and 9 are PSA 9. Every card in the set was single-printed - there are no short prints - so all of its scarcity is condition scarcity, and clean, well-centered copies sit far above the raw totals. Population snapshot 2026-07-09.
What makes the 1961-62 Fleer Elgin Baylor a key card?
It is one of the five grail cards of the set, from the only major NBA card set issued between 1957-58 Topps and 1969-70 Topps - the defining basketball issue of the 1960s. Value depends heavily on grade and centering; use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Basketball-Reference · hoophall.com · Wikipedia. Bio and card data compiled & maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.
← Browse the full interactive 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist