1957 Topps Basketball Bob Cousy ROOKIE #17 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC-E)

In 1938, the four sons of Brooklyn entrepreneur Morris Shorin decided to revive their father’s tobacco business by creating Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. The Shorin sons translated Topps, the name of a candy company they absorbed, to mean being the “tops” or best in the business. In 1952, Topps salesperson Sy Berger designed Topps’ first set of baseball cards at his kitchen table in Brooklyn. His design forever changed the trading card industry, setting off a collecting frenzy that would last decades. By 1957, Topps had already produced five stunning baseball card sets, purchased Bowman, and established itself as the manufacturing powerhouse for trading cards. In 1957, Topps designed its first basketball set. As Cousy’s first Topps card, this issue ranks favorably among Cousy collectors. The front of the card features an appealing photo of Cousy dribbling on the hardwood while surrounded by Celtics power forwards Tom Heinsohn (#15) and Jack Nichols (#16). Heinsohn became a Celtics legend as a coach and broadcaster, having spent six decades with the team before he passed away in 2020. The Hall of Fame inducted Heinsohn as a player and coach, and he helped form the NBA Players’ Association. Fans should celebrate his inclusion on the card as a bonus. Nichols attended dental school while playing for the Celtics and became a dentist the year after winning the 1957 NBA title with the team, a reminder that players did not play in the NBA for the salary during this era. In 1957, the average NBA salary only slightly eclipsed the average male’s wage in the country. The back of the ‘57 Topps Cousy offers collectors plenty to celebrate. It refers to his “Mr. Basketball” nickname, mentions that he won the NBA title with the Celtics the previous year, and describes his expert ball-handling skills. Cards manufactured the year following any major sport title, or significant career accomplishment tend to hold more weight with collectors. No exception here. An all-around gem of a card that ranks among investors’ favorites in vintage basketball, this example earned the PWCC-E (Exceptional—Top 15%) Eye Appeal designation for its notoriously hard centering and sharp corners. Given this card’s stature and microscopic pop count (only three examples earned an unqualified PSA 9, and there are no PSA 10s), Mr. Basketball should go to Mr./Ms. Collector in this month’s Premier Auction. You can learn about Bob Cousy’s remarkable career in PWCC's A Guide to Bob Cousy's Basketball Cards. https://www.pwccmarketplace.com/definitive-guides/a-guide-to-bob-cousys-basketball-cards