1961-62 Fleer Basketball #4 Walt Bellamy
About this card
The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Walt Bellamy is card #4 of 66, in the set's Portrait subset (#1-44, the numbered portraits). It is the recognized Rookie Card for Walt Bellamy. It is one of the set's star key cards. 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 Walt Bellamy
Walt Bellamy, a 6-foot-11 center, starred at Indiana University and won a gold medal with the acclaimed 1960 U.S. Olympic team before turning pro. The expansion Chicago Packers made him the first overall pick of the 1961 NBA Draft, and he responded with one of the greatest rookie seasons ever: 31.6 points and 19.0 rebounds per game to capture the 1961-62 Rookie of the Year award. A four-time All-Star, Bellamy played 14 seasons — his original team relocating from Chicago to Baltimore, followed by stops with the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and New Orleans Jazz — and retired with 20,941 points and 14,241 rebounds (career averages of 20.1 and 13.7). A durable, efficient scorer, he shot better than 51% for his career and was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. This rookie card captures that record-setting debut as the cornerstone of the brand-new Chicago Packers franchise.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 452 | 0 | 20 | 101 | 103 | 77 | 53 | 84 | 14 |
| SGC | 259 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 59 | 131 | 11 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-07-09. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8).
Find this card
Search T206 Cards Find on eBay
As an eBay Partner Network affiliate, T206Cards.com may earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1961-62 Fleer Walt Bellamy a rookie card?
Yes. The 1961-62 Fleer Basketball #4 Walt Bellamy 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 Walt Bellamy in high grade?
Condition-scarce. PSA has graded about 452 copies and SGC about 259, yet only 0 have reached PSA 10 and 20 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 Walt Bellamy 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 2026-07-09.
← Browse the full interactive 1961-62 Fleer Basketball checklist