Autographed copies of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 1969 Topps rookie card are far from rare.
Multiple sell each month, generally for between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on condition and inscriptions. PSA has certified more than 500 such examples in its database.
But almost none of those signatures match the name printed on the card: Lew Alcindor.
Abdul-Jabbar changed his name in 1971, following his conversion to Islam in college. This name change makes items signed as his birth name of Lew Alcindor incredibly rare and dated to his UCLA and earliest professional days.
The rarity is most clearly seen on his rookie cards, of which perhaps only three exist signed with the name Alcindor.
Weiss Auctions sold one of the rare Alcindor-signed cards in its Oct. 16 auction for $97,350. Signed vertically in ballpoint pen and likely dated between 1969-1971, the card is ungraded but accompanied by a letter of authenticity for the autograph from JSA.
Another Alcindor-signed copy, graded PSA 2 / Auto 8, sold for $30,000 in August 2022 at Heritage.
Weiss' card beat out its pre-sale estimate of $30,000 to $40,000 on the lot.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible content.