1961-62 Fleer Basketball #23 Sam Jones
About this card
The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Sam Jones is card #23 of 66, in the set's Portrait subset (#1-44, the numbered portraits). It is the recognized Rookie Card for Sam Jones. It is one of the set's star key cards. 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 Sam Jones
Samuel "Sam" Jones honed his game at North Carolina Central College, an all-Black school where he starred for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon. The Boston Celtics made him the eighth overall pick of the 1957 NBA Draft, and the 6-foot-4 shooting guard spent his entire 12-year career (1957–69) in Boston. Famous for a deadly bank shot, Jones was a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA Second Team selection who averaged 17.7 points per game. He won 10 NBA championships — including eight in a row from 1959 to 1966 — the second-most titles of any player in league history, trailing only teammate Bill Russell. Nicknamed "Mr. Clutch" for his game-winning postseason shooting, Jones was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. This 1961-62 Fleer issue is his rookie card, capturing the Celtics' quintessential clutch scorer.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 847 | 5 | 26 | 156 | 185 | 195 | 121 | 158 | 1 |
| SGC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the 1961-62 Fleer Sam Jones a rookie card?
Yes. The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball #23 Sam Jones 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 Sam Jones in high grade?
Condition-scarce. PSA has graded about 847 copies and SGC about 1, yet only 5 have reached PSA 10 and 26 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 Sam Jones a key card?
It is one of the set's star cards, 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.
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