1961 On-Card Autographs for the 1961 Fleer Basketball Set

The 1961 Fleer basketball card set remains a treasure for collectors, featuring rookie cards of NBA legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Oscar Robertson. Twenty of the 44 players in the set have been inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. However, collecting on-card autographs for this set is extremely challenging due to limited availability, early player deaths, and players' selective signing habits. Below are 3 tiers of difficult cards to obtain but there are many other tough ones not in the top two tiers.  Further, the Hall of Famers players that were reluctant to sign are doubly difficult because there are on-card auto collectors of Hall of Famers (as well as 1961 Fleer auto set collectors).  On the other hand, the easiest on-card Fleer to find is an NBA great ... Jerry West.  The "Logo" signed almost 300 PSA graded cards making him head and shoulders above all others.

• Wilt Chamberlain: Chamberlain passed away in 1999 due to heart failure. His selective signing and iconic NBA status make his autographed Fleer card the most costly in the set.
• Carl Braun: Braun, who passed in 2010 from natural causes, is rare due to his refusal to sign in retirement (with only one known exception). There are stories that Braun emphatically turned down large sums of money to sign just a few cards. There is a credible rumor that he was resentful about early player pensions, and didn’t want to sign anything as he felt it promoted the NBA.
• Walter Dukes: Dukes passed away in 2001 after a heart attack. His limited engagement in signing events contributes to the rarity of his autograph, and his base card has a population of just 2.
  
• Phil Jordon (name incorrectly spelled on his card as “Jordan”): Jordon’s life was tragically cut short in a rafting accident in 1965, just a few years after finishing his NBA career, making his autographed 1961 Fleer card exceptionally rare.
• Sihugo Green: Green died of cancer in 1980 at age 47, making signed cards scarce due to his early passing.
• Guy Rodgers: Rodgers, who passed away from a heart attack in 2001, occasionally signed memorabilia but remains difficult to find on 1961 Fleer cards due to his selective signing habits. Like Hal Greer, Rodgers' autograph is highly coveted due to his Hall of Fame status as well as from Fleer set builders.

Some players who passed later in life are still challenging to find signed due to their limited event appearances or selectivity:

• Hal Greer: Greer passed away in 2018 following a brief illness. His autograph remains highly valued due to his status as a Hall of Famer and his selective participation in signing events, similar to Guy Rodgers.
• John McCarthy: McCarthy passed away in 2020. He was a willing signer, but his lesser popularity meant he received fewer requests, making his autograph relatively scarce.
• George Lee: Lee’s autograph is scarce due to his infrequent appearances at signing events. He is still alive, but signed cards from him are uncommon (for similar reason as Carl Braun). A friend once contacted Lee to request a signature, but Lee hung up the phone.
• Rudy LaRusso: LaRusso, a five-time All-Star, passed away from Parkinson's disease in 2004. Known for his selectivity, his autographed cards are relatively scarce.
• Willie Naulls: Although a few Naulls-signed cards have appeared in recent years, Naulls was a stubborn signer in retirement making his on-card auto particularly rare. 
• Paul Arizin: Arizin is another strong candidate for tier 2 due to the scarcity of his autographed portrait and in action cards.

Two cards that are challenging to find signed with vintage autographs are those of Bill Russell and Bill Russell IA. Vintage autographs are those signed during the player’s active years. They hold immense historical and monetary value. They are especially coveted when well-preserved, as ballpoint ink can fade, and cards can show wear over time. Notably, Bill Russell’s autograph is highly prized, as he was known to be selective with signings until later in his life, making his vintage autographed cards in this set rare and highly sought-after. It is not known how many of the Russell vintage autographs are in the wild but I have personally seen 3.

Here’s an updated checklist of the 1961 Fleer set, with the living status, HOF induction, and total PSA population.

Base Cards

• Al Attles - Alive, Total: 28
• Paul Arizin (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 9
• Elgin Baylor (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 72
• Walt Bellamy (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 22
• Arlen Bockhorn - Deceased, Total: 20
• Bob Boozer - Deceased, Total: 8
• Carl Braun - Deceased, Total: 1
• Wilt Chamberlain (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 6
• Larry Costello (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 11
• Bob Cousy (HOF) - Alive (generally no longer signing), Total: 44
• Walter Dukes - Deceased, Total: 2
• Wayne Embry (HOF) - Alive, Total: 31
• Dave Gambee - Deceased, Total: 21
• Tom Gola (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 8
• Sihugo Green - Deceased, Total: 3
• Hal Greer (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 10
• Richie Guerin (HOF) - Alive, Total: 57
• Cliff Hagan (HOF) - Alive, Total: 23
• Tom Heinsohn (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 19
• Bailey Howell (HOF) - Alive, Total: 69
• Rod Hundley - Deceased, Total: 7
• K.C. Jones (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 17
• Sam Jones (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 88
• Phil Jordon - Deceased, Total: 3
• John Kerr (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 9
• Rudy LaRusso - Deceased, Total: 9
• George Lee - Alive, Total: 5
• Bob Leonard (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 21
• Clyde Lovellette (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 14
• John McCarthy - Deceased, Total: 9
• Tom Meschery - Alive, Total: 18
• Willie Naulls - Deceased, Total: 9
• Don Ohl - Alive, Total: 26
• Bob Pettit (HOF) - Alive, Total: 19
• Frank Ramsey (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 17
• Oscar Robertson (HOF) - Alive, Total: 112
• Guy Rodgers (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 5
• Bill Russell (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 41
• Dolph Schayes (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 20
• Frank Selvy - Alive, Total: 20
• Gene Shue - Alive, Total: 15
• Jack Twyman (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 6
• Jerry West (HOF) - Deceased (2024), Total: 196
• Lenny Wilkens (HOF) - Alive, Total: 103

In-Action Cards

• Paul Arizin (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 8
• Elgin Baylor (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 19
• Wilt Chamberlain (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 3
• Larry Costello (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 3
• Bob Cousy (HOF) - Alive (generally no longer signing), Total: 29
• Walter Dukes - Deceased, Total: 2
• Tom Gola (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 7
• Richie Guerin (HOF) - Alive, Total: 25
• Cliff Hagan (HOF) - Alive, Total: 27
• Tom Heinsohn (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 10
• Bailey Howell (HOF) - Alive, Total: 22
• John Kerr (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 10
• Rudy LaRusso - Deceased, Total: 7
• Clyde Lovellette (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 7
• Bob Pettit (HOF) - Alive, Total: 20
• Frank Ramsey (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 14
• Oscar Robertson (HOF) - Alive, Total: 34
• Bill Russell (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 27
• Dolph Schayes (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 8
• Gene Shue - Alive, Total: 14
• Jack Twyman (HOF) - Deceased, Total: 20
• Jerry West (HOF) - Deceased (2024), Total: 91