The 8 Best Celtics Rookie Cards of All Time
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As the Boston Celtics make another run at a title, it's a great opportunity to look at the best basketball cards during their lengthy existence.
There's only one qualifier: the player must have been on the Celtics team at the time of the card.
1957 Topps Bill Russell
One of the most decorated athletes of all time, Russell spent his entire career with the Celtics, winning 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons. He also won consecutive NCAA titles and Olympic gold before going pro.
As if those accomplishments weren't enough, his final title was as a player-coach, when he became the first black coach to win an NBA title.
This is the most expensive card to find in low-grade on this list and will cost several thousand dollars.
1957 Topps Bob Cousy
Cousy led the league in assists 8 times and won 6 titles with Bill Russell. He's one of the most important figures in Celtics history, and his rookie card can be found in low-grade condition for a few hundred dollars.
1969 Topps John Havlicek
Hondo was another huge figure in that 1960s dynasty, winning a total of 8 titles and being named to 13 All-Star Games.
Due to the lack of cards in the 1960s, this one comes in his 8th season. It's probably the cheapest on this list and can easily be found for under $100.
1980 Topps Larry Bird (with Magic Johnson and Julius Erving)
RELATED: Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Their Unique 1980 Topps Rookie Card
There aren't many cards more important to the hobby than this one. Not only does it feature Larry Bird's rookie card, it's also Magic Johnson's. And they're flanking all-time great Julius Erving (Dr. J).
A decent low-grade copy will only set you back a few hundred dollars.
1981 Topps Larry Bird
Does Bird deserve two cards? Yes, he does! The guy won 3 titles, 3 consecutive MVPs, and his legendary trash-talking lives on in countless YouTube videos.
The 1981 is Bird's first solo card, and very important to Celtics collectors.
A decent low-grade copy can be found for under $100.
1998 Topps Chrome Paul Pierce Refractor
There is no consensus "best card" for Pierce, an Hall of Famer who is best known for his time on the Celtics and the title he won with them in 2008. And there's no shortage of options.
For my money, you can never go wrong with Topps Chrome refractors.
A PSA 10 will set you back a couple thousand dollars, but a 9 can be had for under $300.
Jaylen Brown 2016-17 Panini Prizm silver Prizm
RELATED: Sports Illustrated NBA Player of the Year in Cards: Jaylen Brown
Most would consider Jaylen the second banana to Tatum, but Brown won MVP in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals as well as Finals MVP. Like Tatum, he was drafted by the Celtics in their post-Pierce rebuild and has been a great pair with Tatum.
Again, for me the best option as a collector is the best set's refractor of some sort. With basketball in 2016-1, that was the Panini Prizm brand's silver Prizm. Plus there are a lot of other parallels to choose from.
A PSA 10 is only around $300.
2017-18 Panini Prizm Jayson Tatum RC #16 silver Prizm
RELATED: Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum's Trajectory and Collectability
Tatum, one of the most accomplished players at his age in NBA history, has a slew of rookie cards to choose from. Autograph collector? Lots of options. Relics? Same.
Like Pierce and Brown before him, I like to keep it simple. And like Brown's Prizm rookie card, there are a lot of parallel colors to choose from.
A PSA 10 will run you nearly $2,000, but a 9 can be found for $200.
Mike runs the hobby YouTube channel Junk Wax Hero, where he talks about a lot of different aspects of the hobby from a collector’s perspective. His most popular series is Attic Find Friday. He also writes a free weekly hobby recap newsletter at junkwaxhero.com. It’s a cliche, but his favorite card is the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr.
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