1961-62 Fleer Basketball #43 Jerry West
1961-62 Fleer Basketball #43 Jerry West
About this card
The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Jerry West is card #43 of 66, in the set's Portrait subset (#1-44, the numbered portraits). It is the recognized Rookie Card for Jerry West. It ranks among the five grail cards of the set (Chamberlain, Robertson, West, Baylor and Russell). 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 Jerry West
Jerry West, a 6-foot-3 guard from West Virginia University, led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA final (earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player) and co-captained the gold-medal 1960 U.S. Olympic team before the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him second overall in 1960. Nicknamed "Mr. Clutch," West made 14 All-Star teams, won the 1969-70 scoring title, and averaged 27.0 points across a 14-year career spent entirely with the Lakers. He remains the only player named NBA Finals MVP while on the losing team (1969), and he finally won a championship in 1972. West was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a contributor in 2024 for his executive career. His dribbling silhouette is widely regarded as the basis for the NBA's logo — an iconic status that makes this rookie card one of the 1961-62 Fleer set's most coveted grails.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 2,054 | 3 | 72 | 289 | 314 | 386 | 299 | 674 | 17 |
| SGC | 591 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 39 | 45 | 120 | 347 | 27 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-09. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8).
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Frequently asked questions
Is the 1961-62 Fleer Jerry West a rookie card?
Yes. The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball #43 Jerry West 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 Jerry West in high grade?
Condition-scarce. PSA has graded about 2,054 copies and SGC about 591, yet only 3 have reached PSA 10 and 72 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 Jerry West 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 2026-07-09.
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