1957 Topps Basketball Bill Russell SP ROOKIE #77 PSA 8.5 NM-MT+
Bill Russell’s 1957 Topps rookie card is not only the Celtic legend’s best trading card, but also one of the most coveted issues in all of NBA collecting.
With a pop count of just two, this Near Mint 8.5 example of Russell’s iconic card is about as good as it gets. To date, PSA has only graded three copies higher. This notoriously condition-sensitive card also received an Above Average Eye Appeal designation from PWCC, meaning its centering, corners, color, and edges put it in the top 30 percent of copies of the same grade.
1980 Topps Basketball Larry Bird & Magic Johnson ROOKIE SGC 10 GEM MINT
Topps changed the basketball card landscape in 1980 when they dropped this perforated three-panel design. Of the many panels offered in the set, none are more iconic than this issue featuring the rookie cards of both Larry Bird and Magic Jonson beside the then-all-time scoring leader Julius Erving.
SGC deemed this example a Gem Mint 10, making it one of the finest examples of this iconic NBA card in existence. Only eight other copies have earned as high of a grade.
1986 Fleer Basketball Michael Jordan ROOKIE #57 MBA PSA 10 GEM MINT (PWCC-A)
Widely regarded as a top-five trading card issue of all time, Michael Jordan’s 1986 Fleer rookie issue remains one of the most desired vintage crown jewels among collectors.
This PSA Gem Mint 10 example sits in the top 1.3 percent of nearly 25,000 copies of Jordan’s Fleer rookie, an extremely impressive feat for a card with full-bleed edges often prone to chipping.
And if that wasn’t enough, this card was also given an MBA Gold Eye Appeal certification as well as a PWCC Above Average Eye Appeal designation meaning it is one of the very best Gem Mint examples in the world.
1924 Babe Ruth Single Signed Baseball - PSA/DNA & Beckett LOA's
This incredibly well-preserved mid-1920s horsehide Spalding baseball features Babe Ruth’s autograph on the sweet spot and has received authentication from Beckett and PSA.
Below Ruth’s signature is a hand-written note on the south panel dating the ball on October 17, 1924, when Ruth appeared in an exhibition game organized by the American Legion in Spokane, Washington. The event was so anticipated that local schools closed early to let kids join the nearly 1,700 fans who witnessed Ruth hit a homer at the game’s last at-bat.
1941 Babe Ruth & Ty Cobb Charity Match Signed Ticket PSA/DNA Authentic Auto
Although Babe Ruth won against Ty Cobb in their final major-league baseball head-to-head matchup, Cobb got the better of Babe in their final competition: the 1941 Commonwealth Country Club charity golf match.
Ruth took a quick 2-up lead after sinking a 40-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole, but Cobb won holes 6-8 before Ruth took the ninth hole to even the match at the turn. After playing even for the first four holes on the back nine, Cobb took command of the match, securing the win after 16 holes.
Following the match, a score-keeping attendee had Cobb sign his swooping autograph on the front of the ticket and Ruth scrawl his classic signature onto the back. This ticket is now one of the only remaining pieces of memorabilia to feature both legends’ autographs.
1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #37 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC-A)
Lou Gehrig's 1934 Goudey issue #37 is among his most recognizable and elusive cards. With its striking yellow background and bright blue “Lou Gehrig Says” banner across the bottom, it is considered a crown jewel from the Golden Age of gum pack cards.
PSA deemed this card a Near Mint 8 – Only four copies have ever earned a higher grade. PWCC also awarded this card an Above Average Eye Appeal designation making it one of the best examples of its grade.
1969 Topps Basketball Lew Alcindor ROOKIE #25 PSA 9 MINT
Despite featuring the first card appearances of Hall of Famers like John Havlicek, Bill Bradley, and Willis Reed, the ‘69 set is best known for introducing Kareem’s “true” rookie.
This “tallboy” print was notorious for centering issues and surface sensitivity, making its PSA Mint 9 designation even more impressive. Out of the nearly 4,600 graded examples of this card, only 19 have earned a PSA 9 or greater.
1960 Hemmets Journal Cassius Clay Muhammad Ali ROOKIE #23 PSA 9 MINT
Muhammad Ali’s first mainstream rookie issue wasn’t intended to be a trading card at all. In 1960, Sweden’s Hemmets Journal featured photos of the athletes competing in the Rome Olympics along with informational blurbs about each one. Among those athletes was an 18-year-old Cassius Clay who would go undefeated in the games and take home the gold medal.
This card was carefully hand cut from the journal and preserved in PSA Mint 9 condition. Only one copy of this iconic boxing card is graded higher.
1972 Topps Basketball Walt Frazier #60 PSA 10 GEM MINT
Walt Frazier’s 1972 release from Topps is no doubt one of the best basketball releases from the ‘70s. Its stunning pink letters and bright yellow background make it almost as striking as Clyde’s iconic style.
This highly condition-sensitive issue is difficult to find in high-grade, which is why this PSA Gem Mint 10 example is one of the seven-time All-Star’s best cards in existence. Out of the 347 copies graded by PSA, this copy is one of only two to ever earn Gem Mint status.
