Bill Russell: Context, Cards, and Championships
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Eleven championships, five MVPs, a 20-1 record in closeout games. Bill Russell's legacy as a winner is unparalleled. Yet, despite his impressive accomplishments, many people dismiss them immediately, often because of his supporting cast, or because of the era in which he played. The sports card market is no exception. While Russell's iconic 1957 Topps rookie card in high grade still holds significant value, the highest recorded sale for one of his cards was $660,000. In comparison, a Tom Brady card once sold for $3.8 million, and even a Wemby card fetched more than $860,000. Let’s apply some context to a couple moments from Russell’s career as we dive into some more of his cards.
RELATED: The 8 Best Celtics Rookie Cards of All Time
🏆 RECORD SALE 🏆
— The Collectibles Guru (@ericwhiteback) May 12, 2023
Last night, a Bill Russell PSA 8.5 rookie card sold at auction for $660,000.
It’s a new ALL-TIME record for any Bill Russell card.
(There are 3 PSA 9’s!) pic.twitter.com/ZZrqpT5A4B
1. 1965-66
Critics mention how many Hall of Famers played alongside Bill Russell. What rarely gets mentioned, however, is that Russell would win even when the odds were stacked against him. An example of this is during the 1965-66 season, when the Celtics had to go through a 68-13 Sixers team, which held the best regular-season record in NBA history at the time. The Sixers were led by Wilt Chamberlain in his prime, and were heavy favorites, but Russell still found a way to win. A card that commemorates this moment comes from the Panini Eminence line and last sold for $1,600 on eBay.
2. 1968-69
Another example of Russell defying the odds came in 1969 when the Celtics were written off by just about everyone. Tom Heinsohn and K.C. Jones had already retired, and Sam Jones and Bill Russell were at the end of their career. They somehow found themselves back in the finals and were down 2-0 against a stacked and heavily favored Lakers team led by Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor. Despite the odds, Russell in his final season once again found a way. The card above comes from the 1969 N.B.A.P. Member basketball-card series and recently sold for just under $3,500.
3. Life After Russell
After winning the championship in 1969, Russell retired, and the Celtics added rookie Jo Jo White to the team. White, now in the Hall of Fame, joined Don Nelson, Tom Sanders, John Havlicek, and Larry Siegfried as the Celtics tried to stay competitive. Despite the new talent and coming off a championship, the Celtics missed the playoffs, highlighting just how important Bill Russell had been to that team. The card above is the only 1970 Topps Jo Jo White card graded a PSA 10 and last sold for over $22,000.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz