Zion Williamson rookie cards remain among the hottest in the hobby in the 2021-22 NBA season. Zion Williamson’s exceptional athletic talent and strong performance on the court when healthy have contributed to Zion remaining popular with collectors and investors.
Williamson was drafted 1st overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 NBA Draft. Zion Williamson rookie cards values spiked when first released, but have since declined as a result of injuries. The decline in 2022 could either be a sign of things to come or a rare opportunity to buy his cards at a discount. Only time will tell!
Panini manufactured many Zion Williamson rookie cards, both across different sets and even within sets. As a collector/investor, the options can feel overwhelming.
Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered!
We did the research for you and identified the top 33 cards you need to know about for 2022. We have also included some light analysis and references to PSA count and values for the most popular cards.
Short on time? Here are our favorites from each of the six categories included in this list (links to eBay):
- Most Popular: Prizm #248
- Budget: NBA Hoops #258
- Autograph: Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Autograph
- Relic: National Treasures Relic/Patch
- RPA: National Treasures RPA
- Rare Insert: Spectra Color Blast
Most Popular Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
The “Most Popular” rookie card category includes cards most commonly searched for on Google and transacted on eBay. These cards are likely to be collectible long-term.
1. 2019 Prizm Zion Williamson #248 (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Panini Prizm rookie card is the flagship Zion Williamson rookie card. The card is not rare, more than 15,000 PSA 10 graded cards exist, but the popularity of the card drives prices high.
The card features Williamson in a blue New Orleans Pelicans jersey holding the ball with both hands behind his head as he approaches the hoop for a slam dunk. Williamson’s image is framed by the classic silver boarder that is common with the Panini Prizm brand.
Panini manufactured several parallels of this card including:
As of January 2021, the 2019 Panini Prizm Zion Williamson Rookie Card (base) was valued at ~$715. As of January 2022, collectors/investors have recently purchased the same card for ~$220.
Given the popularity of the Prizm rookie cards, they are my favorite for investment purposes.
2. 2019 Prizm Silver #248 (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Silver Prizm rookie card is one of the most valuable Williamson rookie cards.
The card is a parallel of the ‘flagship’ card and features the same image as the base card, but includes a silver, reflective coating. It is a beautiful card and popular with collectors and investors.
Collectors/investors who have been collecting for several years comment that Silver Prizm cards are no longer as rare as they historically were. That said, the PSA population report informs us that the Silver Prizm remains significantly more rare than the base Prizm card.
As of January 2021, there are ~1,000 PSA 10 graded Zion Silver Prizm cards, and the card costs ~$4,500.
Since January 2021, the value of this card decreased significantly. Several collectors/investors recently purchased this card for ~$1,700 in January 2022.
3. 2019 Prizm Pink Ice #248 (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Pink Ice Prizm rookie card is one of the most popular Williamson Prizm rookie cards, according to Google Search Trends.
Like the Silver Prizm, the Pink Ice is a parallel of the ‘flagship’ card and features the same image as the Williamson base Prizm card, but includes a pink, reflective ice-like coating. It is a beautiful card, especially for collectors and investors who like pink.
All Zion Williamson rookie cards on this list come from the popular 2019-20 Panini Prizm Basketball set. Collectors/investors can still purchase the 2019-20 Prizm Basketball Hobby Box.
As of January 2021, there are only 44 PSA 10 graded Zion Pink Prizm cards, and the card costs ~$1,700. A few collectors/investors purchased this card for ~$1,200 in January 2022.
4. 2019 Donruss Optic #158 (Buy on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Optic rookie card is a commonly bought and sold Williamson rookie card. The card features an image of Williamson in a blue New Orleans Pelicans jersey holding the basketball with both hands just above his right-should and next to the right-side of his head. Similar to the other Donruss card, the Optic rookie card includes the “Rated Rookie” logo on the bottom-left of the card.
Panini manufactured more than 30 parallels of this Williamson rookie card including:
As of January 2021, there are ~4,800 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson Rated Rookie cards and the card costs ~$270. Several collectors/investors purchased this card for ~$70 in January 2022.
5. 2019 Mosaic Zion Williamson #209 (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Mosaic rookie card is also a highly sought-after Williamson rookie card. The card features Williamson dribbling with the ball in his left hand while wearing a blue New Orleans Pelicans jersey. The image of Williamson is framed by a mostly silver background with a blue section just behind his appearance.
As of January 2021, there are ~5,000 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson Mosaic RCs and the card costs ~$150. A few collectors/investors purchased this card for ~$40 in January 2022.
The Mosaic card is another solid option for Williamson collectors and investors who do not want to pay Prizm prices. This card is among the most popular Williamson RCs according to Google Search Trends.
Panini manufactured several parallels/inserts of the Williamson Mosaic rookie card including:
- NBA Debut #269 (Popular Insert!)
- Green Prizm #209
- Silver Prizm #209
6. 2019 Panini Select #1, #199, & #297 (Buy on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Select Rookie Card is like the cousin of the more popular Panini Prizm brand.
The card has three variations:
The courtside level shows Williamson dribbling up the court with the basketball in his right hand. The Premier Level card features Williamson with both hands on the ball as he spins towards the basket. The Concourse Level card features Williamson running down the court dribbling the ball in his right-hand. All three images are framed by a silver, reflective background, though the design of this background varies.
As of January 2021, there are ~1,700 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson Concourse Level (#1) Select rookie cards and the card costs ~$300. Several collectors/investors purchased the card for ~$60 in January 2022.
As of January 2021, there are only ~400 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson Premier Level (#199) Select rookie cards and the card costs ~$400. Several collectors/investors purchased this card for ~$125 in January 2022.
Several collectors/investors purchased the Courtside Level (#297) PSA 10 for ~$600 in January 2022.
Budget Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
The “Budget” rookie card category includes both popular and usually less expensive cards included in the “Most Popular” category. “Budget” category cards provide good entry-level rookie card investment options.
7. 2019 NBA Hoops #258 (Buy on eBay)
The Zion Williamson NBA Hoops rookie card is another popular Williamson rookie card. The card features Williamson in a blue New Orleans Pelicans jersey holding he ball with his left hand approaching the hoop for a one-handed dunk. The card has a white-boarder with the ‘NBA Hoops’ logo on the top-right of the card.
As of January 2021, there are ~4,000 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson NBA Hoops RCs and the card costs ~$115. Several collectors purchased this card for ~$35 in January 2022.
Panini manufactured several parallels of the 2019 Zion Williamson NBA Hoops card including:
The Zion NBA Hoops rookie card is one of my favorites at a lower price-point because it is popular with collectors and investors and features an iconic image of Williamson approach a dunk.
8. 2019 Donruss Rated Rookie #201 (Buy on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Rated Rookie card is among the top 10 most searched Williamson rookie cards on Google. The card includes a white boarder around an image of Williamson in a blue New Orleans Pelicans jersey. Williamson is dribbling the basketball in his right hand as he walks down the court. The “Rated Rookie” logo is on the bottom-left of the card.
Panini manufactured more than 10 parallels of this Williamson rookie card including:
As of January 2021, there are ~2,250 PSA 10 graded Zion Williamson Rated Rookie cards and the card costs ~$125. Several collectors purchased this same card for ~$50 in January 2022.
9. Zion Williamson Certified #151 (Shop on eBay)
Panini Certified Basketball cards are well-known to contain many rookie cards in their packs, making them an excellent choice for collectors on a budget.
In the 2019-20 Panini Certified Basketball collection, there are 200 cards in total, with 50 of these cards rookies.
This volume of rookie cards gives you a much better chance of getting your hands on a Zion Williamson rookie card.
However, don’t expect this to be the highest value Zion Williamson card. With print volumes much higher than other cards, this option is not worth as much as others on this list.
For example, in December 2021, a PSA 10 graded version was sold for $70.
Panini manufactured several inserts/parallels in the Certified set including:
10. 2019 Absolute Memorabilia #16 (Shop on eBay)
One great budget rookie card option you can choose is the 2019-20 Absolute Zion Williamson rookie card.
The card shows Zion Williamson in mid-air, about to make a shot. It is refreshing to see something a little different with many other cards focusing on his dunking and lay-up shots.
If you are a fan of collecting rookie cards showing players mid-game as they take on the NBA in their first season, this card is an excellent option.
This card is not particularly expensive either, as a collector bought a PSA 10 graded version for $100 in December 2021.
Zion Williamson Autograph Rookie Cards
The “Autograph” rookie card category includes signed cards from popular and unique basketball card releases. This category excludes rookie patch auto (RPA) cards because those cards are featured in a subsequent section
9. Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto #108 (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson Contenders rookie card includes several variations. As a set, the Contenders cards are popular among Williamson collectors and investors, though due to the variety of different cards, it is difficult to focus on one single card.
The highest-priced Williamson Contenders rookie cards are “Rookie Ticket” autograph cards. There are several variations of this card-type, including Williamson standing at the free-throw line, holding the ball behind his body with his left hand, and dribbling up the court with his left hand.
As of January 2021, the Zion Williams Contenders rookie card varies significantly in price depending on the grade, rarity, and autograph.
The most expensive Contenders Williamson rookie card sold at auction cost $46,600 and sold in January 2021.
10. Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Autograph (Shop on eBay)
Another highly sought-after rookie card is the 2019-2020 Zion Williamson Donruss Optic Rated Rookie Autograph.
NBA card collectors will admire any card that contains Zion’s autograph due to his explosion into the league.
Add that to the fact that Donruss Optic NBA cards are renowned as one of the top-tier rookie card brands, and suddenly this card is worth a pretty penny.
The combination of the trademark “Rated Rookie” logo and Zion’s caliber as a player make this card a deadly combination that collectors worldwide admire.
Due to its popularity, this card is regularly searched on Google and purchased on eBay.
With that in mind, expect this card to be pricier than others on this list. However, if you have deep pockets and plenty of disposable income to broaden your NBA rookie card collection, this card could be an excellent choice for you!
11-22. Other Zion Williamson Autograph Rookie Cards
Every Zion Williamson rookie card included in this article has an autograph variation. There are many other Zion Williamson autograph rookie cards, including Flawless, Noir, Opulence, and more. I included a list of 12 Zion rookie card autographs below.
Zion Williamson Relic/Patch Rookie Cards
The “Relic/Patch” rookie card category includes relic/jersey/patch cards from popular and unique basketball card releases. This category excludes rookie patch auto (RPA) cards because those cards are featured in a subsequent section
23. 2019 National Treasures Relic/Patch (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson 2019-2020 Panini National Treasures Relic Patch was easily one of the most highly anticipated cards in recent memory, with collectors talking about it months in advance.
Due to Zion’s hype as a player, collectors were aware that the National Treasures Relic Patch was not going to be cheap, given the popularity of this card and the limited number of prints.
The National Treasure Relic Patch depicts Zion mid-leap, about the dunk the ball down on his opponents, probably on the way to another game-changing performance for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Beside the photo sits the relic patch, which adds so much value to this card, and makes it highly coveted by customers.
24-29. Other Zion Williamson Relic/Patch Cards (Shop on eBay)
Panini has manufactured a wide variety of jersey Zion Williams rookie cards. Like Williamson autograph cards, almost every set released by Panini includes jersey patch cards.
Below is a list of 10 Zion Williamson jersey patch rookie cards:
- 24. 2019-20 Panini Immaculate Zion Williamson Jersey Patch Card
- 25. 2019-20 Panini Contenders Zion Williamson Jersey Patch Card
- 26. 2019-20 Panini Select Zion Williamson Jersey Patch Card
- 27. 2019-20 Panini Prizm Zion Williamson Jersey Patch Card
- 28. 2019-20 Panini Noir Zion Williamson Jersey Patch Card
- 29. 2019-20 Panini Flawless Collegiate Zion Williamson Jersey Patch
Zion Williamson RPA Cards
The “RPA” rookie card category includes rookie patch autograph cards from popular and unique basketball card releases. This category includes some of the most highly sought-after and expensive rookie cards.
30. 2019 National Treasures Rookie Patch Auto (RPA) (Shop on eBay)
The Zion Williamson National Treasures RPA card is among the most expensive Williamson rookie cards. 4 out of 5 of the most expensive Zion Williamson rookie cards sold via auction on eBay are National Treasures cards.
The card design varies, but collectors and investors pay premiums for vertical rookie-patch-auto (RPA) Williamson rookie cards. One version of this card features a vertical image of Williamson with both hands on the basketball as he soars through the air approaching a dunk. Next to his image is a cut-out that includes a piece of his jersey.
As of January 2021, the Zion National Treasures rookie card varies significantly in price depending on the grade and rarity.
The most expensive National Treasures Williamson rookie card sold at auction cost $99,800 and sold in June 2020.
31. 2019 Immaculate Rookie Patch Auto (RPA) (Shop on eBay)
Another excellent option for collectors with deep pockets, the 2019-20 Zion Williamson Rookie Patch Auto is coveted and hard to get your hands on.
Because this card contains a patch, Zion’s autograph, and is from his rookie season, you can see why it carries a hefty price tag, and there are limited numbers out there.
Due to the limited options, high-rolling collectors worldwide are clamoring to add this card to their collection at almost any cost.
The card depicts Zion shooting for the New Orleans Pelicans on the left-hand side and the rookie patch on the right-hand side. Zion’s autograph sits below the image and patch, with the background colors matching the colors of the Pelicans.
Zion Williamson Rare Insert Cards
The “Rare Inserts” rookie card category includes rare and highly sought-after rookie cards. The cards on this list will be among the most expensive rookie cards available, particularly when the card includes a high grade from a reputable grading company.
32. 2019 Spectra Color Blast (Shop on eBay)
If you are a fan of cards that are unique, eye-catching, and are beautiful to look at, you can do much worse than opting to collect Spectra Color Blast cards.
This situation is no different for the 2019-20 Zion Williamson Spectra Color Blast Rookie card.
The card shows Zion with a ball in his hands, either about to start striding toward the basket or shielding the ball from a defender as he looks for a pass.
While most cards show off Zion’s power and pace, with images of him slam dunking on many different opponents, Spectra opted to show Zion mid-play, which is a unique image.
Spectra cards unique is the beautiful color splash background used instead of showing Zion on the court.
Not only do Spectra cards look incredible, but they are on thicker stock, which provides the cards with a high-quality look and feel.
A Spectra Color Blast hobby box comprises of four packs, with four cards in each pack. That said, pulling a Zion Williams rookie card is extremely rare.
33. Zion Williamson Panini One and One Downtown (Shop on eBay)
Downtown has always been an extremely popular collection of NBA cards, and the Zion Williamson Rookie Card is no different. If anything, it is one of the most popular rookie downtown cards of all time.
Found within the Panini One and One set as a rare insert, the card shows off Zion Williamson front and center, about to slam down yet another powerful dunk.
The card shows off the Pelican name at its top, alongside the Panini One and One logo and the RC rookie logo.
Zion’s name’s acts as the footer on this card, capping off a beautiful design in general.
Downtown inserts are rare in nature, regardless of which player it is, so expect the Zion Williamson downtown insert to be even trickier to find, given the high profile of this player.
Be prepared to pay top dollar for this card. In December 2021, a PSA 10 graded version was bought for $7,500.
Where are Zion Williamson Cards for Sale?
Zion Williamson rookie cards for sale are found on several different platforms. The most popular platforms are listed below:
- Local Card Shop: Most card shops stock singles to sell to customers. This channel will also include a fun experience and conversation and is my preferred channel
- eBay: The most popular and largest card transaction platform. You will find a wide variety of Zion Williamson rookie cards for sale on eBay
- COMC: One of the most popular sports cards transaction platforms. At the time of writing of this post, there are more than 2,000 Zion Williamson cards for sale on COMC.
- Facebook: Many Facebook Groups exist to buy, sell, and trade sports cards. You will find a variety of Williamson rookie cards for sale on Facebook.
- Beckett Marketplace: Beckett has a small selection of Williamson rookie cards for sale. At the time of writing this post, there were ~80 Zion Williamson cards for sale on Beckett Marketplace
Buy Zion Williamson Rookie Cards on eBay
Best Zion Williamson Cards for Collectors and Investors
The best Zion Williamson rookie cards to purchase depends on your preference and goals.
If your goal is to invest in a Zion Williamson basketball card, I recommend buying the most popular cards such as Prizm, Hoops, Donruss Rated Rookie, and Mosaic. The popularity of these cards among investors and collectors increases the likelihood that there will continue to a strong market of buyers in the future. I also recommend that you buy PSA Grade 9 or 10, or BGS 9, 9.5, or 10, because most investors prefer higher grade cards.
If your goal is to collect Zion Williamson basketball cards regardless of whether you will be able to sell the card for a profit later, then my advice is simple: buy what you like within budget.
The best Zion Williamson rookie cards, in my opinion, are the Prizm, Select, and Mosaic because I like the design and premium reflective finish of the cards.
Buy Zion Williamson Rookie Cards on eBay
Most Valuable Zion Williamson Rookie Card
The most valuable Zion Williamson rookie card sold at auction via eBay was the 2019 Select Black Disco Prizm 1/1 PSA 10 Zion Williamson rookie card. The card sold for just over $111,000 in December 2020.
Buy Zion Williamson Rookie Cards on eBay
The next most valuable Zion Williamson rookie cards are National Treasures rookie-patch-auto (RPA) cards. In 2020, 4 National Treasures Zion rookie cards sold for more than $50,000 with one card selling close to $100,000.
