(LOT 320)
1961 Fleer #43 Jerry West Rookie Card PSA 9 MINT – Only 3 PSA Examples Graded Higher!
The 66-subject 1961 Fleer basketball set truly stands as one of the finest compilations imaginable, including a host of legendary Hall of Famers. Among the myriad of immortal stars resides three of basketball's most iconic rookie cards representing Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Regarding the latter, Jerry West will forever reside as one of the NBA's greatest all-time point guards, and it is his absolutely magnificent '61 Fleer inaugural subject that is presented here in a PSA 9 MINT holder. Of the 1,600+ PSA encapsulated copies, only 1.7% have managed to achieve the hallowed "9" assessment, with a paltry three examples graded higher! West dominated the court for 15 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1960 thru 1974, ultimately teaming up with Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor to form one of the greatest "trios" in NBA history. His infinite list of accolades reads like a St. Nicholas gift list, starting with West's imposing 27.0 points and 6.7 assists per game lifetime averages. He played on 14 consecutive all-star teams (in all but his first campaign), and he averaged a sensational 30.8 points per game in only his second season, the same year Fleer issued his legendary rookie card. In the 1969-70 campaign he led the NBA in scoring average (31.2 points per game), and was voted to 12 All-NBA teams and five All-NBA defensive teams. Going into the early seventies, the spectacular shooter/ball-handler had accomplished virtually everything except claiming that elusive NBA Championship.

That painstaking void would be filled in 1972, when West led the Lakers to an easy five-game NBA Finals victory versus their cross-country New York Knicks rivals. The immortal Jerry West had now fulfilled all of his dreams, with this remarkable PSA 9 rookie card the perfect testament for his everlasting legacy. Our utmost compliments to this grand offering's prior owners, for over the past 61 years it has retained nearly all of its pristine factor-issued attributes. An awe-inspiring Jerry West black & white image graces the obverse side, emanating the finest possible contrast and clarity as West reveals his classic Lakers #44 jersey. Both the radiant yellow and robust orange/red backgrounds have incredibly retained their original rich hues, and had it not been for a microscopic white "spec" to the left of West's right ear, we just might be viewing the fourth PSA 10 West rookie. Near-perfect centering between four blinding white borders only portrays a smidge of favoritism towards the left edge, and the blistering sharp perimeter includes four pinpoint corners. The final superlative is a super clean verso that presents a brief West bio as well as his 1960-61 rookie year statistics. One of the highly coveted inaugural basketball cards, at the time this was written, the past two PSA 9 sales fetched $84K and a record setting $87K. That said, with an escalating card market soaring each and every day, it would not surprise us at all if this museum worthy marvel shattered both of those aforementioned pricing points and realized an earth-shattering figure!

MIN BID $25,000
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