(LOT 393)
1957-'58 Topps #77 Bill Russell Rookie SGC 7 NM
One of the hobby's most coveted rookie cards is the 1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell subject that is presented here in a spectacular SGC 7 NM holder. If you think finding an SGC high-grade Russell rookie is an easy chore then think again since only 12 other SGC examples have been fortunate enough to receive a near-mint assessment with a meager 13 examples graded higher. Synonymous with this card's championship caliber is Bill Russell's unparalleled resume that includes a miraculous 11 NBA Championships in his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics. Arguably the greatest "winner" in American sports history, Russell's uncanny success dated back to his college days at the University of San Francisco where he led his team to two consecutive NBA championships in 1955 and 1956. If that wasn't enough, before he graced the hard-wood court in Boston, he added an Olympic Gold Medal to his blossoming list of superlatives, leading the 1956 U.S. basketball team to an 89-55 clinching win over the Soviet Union in Melbourne, Australia. While choosing the finest NBA all-time player is a seemingly impossible task, there are many historians who give Bill Russell this distinguished nod, based on his unparalleled winning legacy. He claimed five League MVPs and played in 12 All-Star games, and iconic coach John Wooden always claimed Russell was basketball's greatest defensive player.

Save for hockey great Henri Richard (who also claimed 11 professional championships), no North American athlete has ever enjoyed Bill Russell's unparalleled level of winning success; not Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio, Gretzky, or even Michael Jordan. Regarding this awe-inspiring marvel, the classic Russell pose donning his immortal white #6 Celtic jersey has stubbornly defied father-time by retaining a majority of its original surface attributes including fine clarity and a host of sparkling hues. Of utmost significance, the iconic illustration reveals fine centering, only depicting a modest partiality towards the left edge between four bright white borders. It is no secret that the major stigma for the Bill Russell rookie card is the myriad of skewed images plaguing the #77 Topps subject, with this museum worthy offering fortunately eluding severe off-positioning. While no obtrusive flaws are evident, the background does exhibit some typical surface snow that along with the aforementioned off-centering issues, plagues a myriad of Russell's rookie cards. The final exclamation points are right-angled corners consistent with the grade and a relatively clean verso, with the Bill Russell rookie card's compelling stature meriting any "near-mint" example immense hobby accolades!

MIN BID $7,500
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