For all isolated pentagon isomers of the fullerenes C 60 ±C 86 with nonzero HOMO±LUMO gap and for one nonclassical C 72 isomer (C 2v ), endohedral chemical shifts have been computed at the GIAO-SCF/ 3-21G level using B3LYP/6-31G* optimized structures. The experimental 3 He NMR signals are reproduced reasonably well in cases where assignments are unambiguous (e.g. C 60 , C 70 and C 76 ). On the basis of the calculated thermodynamic stability order and the comparison between the computed and experimental 3 He chemical shifts, the assignments of the observed 3 He NMR spectra are discussed for all higher fullerenes, and new assignments are proposed for one C 82 and one C 86 isomer (C 82 :3 and C 86 :17). The calculated helium chemical shifts also suggest the reassignment of the d( 3 He) resonances of two C 78 isomers.