This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2022
If there was ever a card that could challenge the debut pasteboard of the great Wayne Gretzky as the most significant issue from the rink, it's the 1966 Topps rookie card of Hall of Fame legend Bobby Orr. Like Gretzky and athletic icons Babe Ruth and Wilt Chamberlain, Orr redefined his sport as a standout blueliner that could score with the prowess of any frontline sharpshooter. Never before had a defenseman shown such superior offensive skills, leading the Bruins to think he might be better suited at center. His impact was immediate; in fact, said longtime Bruins coach and GM Harry Sinden, "Bobby became a star in the NHL about the time they played the National Anthem for his first game with us." While routinely pumping in 30 to 40 goals per season, Orr was racking up assist titles, leading the league five times over a six-year period with a career-high 102 helpers in 1970; only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have since topped the 100-assist plateau. Presented is one of the finest specimens of one of hockey's most beloved issues; the famed Bobby Orr rookie card. A difficult prize to find in high grade due to centering issues and the vulnerable wood-grained perimeter, this card achieves an almost unheard-of SGC MINT grade by sidestepping both liabilities and delivering an almost flawless look. Centered close to perfection with an absolutely exquisite snapshot of the Boston great, the TV-inspired image of Orr is surrounded by a perimeter that dares not show even the slightest hint of chipping. Had SGC decided to grant this beauty a GEM MINT grade, it's unlikely that many would have balked at such an assessment. The reverse is equally up to the task, delivering a clean canvas and a bold stat box that has yet to record what would be Orr's unprecedented body of work. One of the ultimate acquisitions of any advanced hockey card collection, here's your opportunity to land one of the most accomplished cards dedicated to the sport of hockey.