Bill Russell’s 1957 Topps rookie is not merely the most famous card featuring the Celtics legend, but it’s among the most important vintage basketball cards ever issued — as well as among the most valuable with a record price of $660,000.
Though the 1957 Topps card is undoubtedly his rookie issue, it isn’t Russell’s earliest card. That honor belongs to the 1955 All-American Sports Club card — a PSA 10 of which sold Thursday at Fanatics for $19,800.
The sale of the card, which is one of just two PSA 10 examples, is the second most expensive in history. The other PSA 10 sold for $66,000 in 2022.
The result is a drastic price cut from the last time a PSA 10 sold in October 2022, which was the same card for $43,200 at PWCC.
Its origins are obscure, and logically so considering its rarity. The hand-cut card hails from a set given to members of the All-American Sports Club, which Fanatics says cost $1 to join. Distributed in sheets of 32 cards, featuring famous names such as Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson in addition to Russell, it’s believed just 500 cards were given to each member.
A complete set of 16 uncut sheets sold for nearly $2,000 at Lelands in 2021.
Only around 40 Russell cards from the set have been graded by PSA and SGC combined.
The set arrived at a dire time for basketball cards, as no mainstream releases had been available since the 1948 Bowman set.
Russell is shown in the jersey of his college basketball team, the San Francisco Dons.
This card has never received attention rivaling the 1957 Topps, but the descent is mildly surprising given the popularity of pre-rookie era cards in the hobby recently.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.