Bill Russell Celtics rookie card sells for record-setting $660,000 at auction

A 1957 Topps Bill Russell rookie card sold for $660,000 on Thursday in PWCC Marketplace’s May Vintage Premier Auction. The card was once graded to a PSA 8.5 and awarded a PWCC-A Eye Appeal designation.

This marks a brand new all-time top for a auction of a Russell buying and selling card. The earlier file was once set at $630,000 in August 2021, and the only ahead of that was once $390,000 from a sale in April 2021.

“It’s worth looking beyond the sales price and taking a moment to appreciate the quality of this card from a historical perspective,” PWCC Marketplace vice chairman of gross sales Jesse Craig stated in a commentary. 

“There are no PSA 10 copies of this card and just three PSA 9 copies in existence. None of those 9s have ever surfaced at public auction. There are two copies of the card graded to a PSA 8.5 and this copy holds above average eye appeal according to our experts. When you take all of that into consideration it is possible that this is the best looking copy of the card to exist in the world. What isn’t debatable is that we’re in the museum-quality range with this card. We’re looking at a true artifact celebrating one of the all-time greats.”

The Russell rookie card could also be the third-highest auction in relation to antique (pre-Nineteen Eighties) basketball playing cards. The handiest different playing cards that prime it are a 1948 Bowman George Mikan rookie card (graded to a PSA 9) bought for $800,000 in March 2022, and a 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain rookie card (graded to a PSA 9 and awarded a PWCC-S designation) bought for $670,000 by means of a showed personal sale in June 2022.

Russell, a Boston Celtics legend who led the crew to 11 NBA championships, died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022. However, Russell’s legacy as one of the necessary figures in NBA historical past as a participant and trainer might not be forgotten. No different NBA determine has received extra championships than him. During his time within the league as a participant from 1956 till 1969, he was once a 12-time All-Star and a five-time MVP. 

On April 16, 1966, Russell turned into the primary Black head trainer in NBA historical past following Red Auerbach’s retirement. Two of Russell’s championship rings have been as a player-coach, and he’s nonetheless the one particular person in league historical past to have a couple of rings dressed in the ones two hats. Weeks after his loss of life, the NBA introduced that Russell’s No. 6 jersey was once set to be retired around the league.