NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell’s Rookie Card Sells at Auction for $660K

A rookie basketball card featuring Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell has sold for over half a million.

A press release issued by PWCC Marketplace revealed that a 1957 Topps Bill Russell rookie card was auctioned for $660,000, setting an all-time high for an authentic Russell card. In March 2021, a previous collectible card was sold for $630,000.

Other cards that have sold for more than $660,000 are:

George Mikan (1948)- Sold on Mar. 9, 2022 for $800,000.

Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie card (1968)- Sold on Jun. 21, 2022, for $670,000

The Vice President of Sales at PWCC Marketplace, Jesse Craig, also signified the card’s value stating, “It’s worth looking beyond the sales price and taking a moment to appreciate the quality of this card from a historical perspective. 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.”

RELATED CONTENT: Boston Celtics Great Bill Russell Dies at 88

Craig continued, “There are two copies of the card graded to a PSA 8.5, and this one holds above average eye appeal according to our experts. When you take all of that into consideration, it is possible this is the best-looking copy of this card in the world. What isn’t debatable is that we’re in the museum-quality range with this asset. We’re looking at a true artifact celebrating one of the all-time greats.”

According to ESPN, Russell became the first Black coach in any major professional sport and the first to win an NBA title. The Hall of Famer died in July 2022 at 88. Following his death, the NBA stated that No. 6, Russell’s uniform number, would officially be retired across the league—a first for the NBA, as a number has never been retired across the entire organization.