Bill Russell was an NBA legend. Playing nearly 1000 games between 1956 and 1969, Russell averaged 15 points and 22 rebounds per game. Furthermore, he won 11 championships and five MVP titles. Coaching the Celtics in his final years as a player, he was the first Black coach to win a championship in a major pro sport. Furthermore, he returned to coach in the 1970s, spending four seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics. Russell died aged 88 in July 2022. For the first time in league history, a jersey, specifically Russell's #6 jersey, was retired league-wide.
Furthermore, card collecting is a serious affair. The rarest cards in the best condition can go for hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you have the money, the hobby goes far beyond pack openings. In March 2021, an 8.5 (between near-mint and mint) rated Bill Russell rookie card was sold for $630,000. It is believed that there are just three Russell rookie cards of a higher grade. However, all three are held in private collections and have never been publicly auctioned. That record has now been broken.
Newly Sold Russell Card Becomes Third Most Expensive Pre-1980s Card
In an auction conducted by PWCC Marketplace, a 1957 Topps Bill Russell rookie card has sold for $660,000. Not only does it break the record for a Bill Russell card, but it also becomes the third-highest-selling pre-1980s basketball card. The only cards to sell for more money are a 1961 Wilt Chamberlain rookie card ($670,000, June 2022) and a 1948 George Mikan card ($800,000, March 2022).
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Russell's memorabilia was a rarity until fairly recently. In 2021, he facilitated the auction of more than 700 items from his Hall of Fame career. Sold between December 2021 and April 2022, the auction's total profits were in excess of $9 million. This included $1 million for a game-worn jersey from the series-clinching win of the 1969 Finals. The profits were sent to a number of Boston-area charities, including Russell's own non-profit, Mentor. However, if the past is anything to go by, the current record will not stand for long. How much would you spend on a historic card? Let us know in the comments below.
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