Two CSG-graded Vintage Cards Worth Thousands Offered in Heritage Sale

A pair of rare vintage sports cards authenticated and graded by Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) are available in an upcoming Heritage Auctions sale. An early card of Boston Celtics icon Bob Cousy and a card from Satchel Paige's short-lived Major League Baseball career highlight Heritage's Sports Catalog Auction 50062, which will be held May 11-13, 2023.

The 1951 Berk Ross #1-11 Bob Cousy graded CSG 5.5, with an estimate of $500 and up, is the earliest card issued of the point guard. The card was part of a multi-sport Berk Ross series that contained baseball, basketball, football, hockey and boxing stars. In fact, they came in two-card pairs and were perforated through the middle. The card features an image of Cousy from his college days in his white Holy Cross uniform dribbling a basketball. For many collectors, this is his true rookie card.

1951 Berk Ross #1-11 Bob Cousy graded CSG 5.5 Click images to enlarge.

Cousy was an integral piece of the early half of the Celtics dynasty of the 1950s and 1960s. The 13-time NBA All-Star helped lead Boston to its first six championships. He's well-known as an innovative passer, leading the NBA in assists for eight straight seasons, and is recognized as the first truly great point guard in league history. Cousy entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.

Another standout card in the Heritage sale is the 1949 Bowman #224 Satchel Paige graded CSG 5, with an estimate of $4,000 and up. This is one of only three mainstream cards of the iconic pitcher. The card features a portrait of Paige in his Cleveland Indians gear, with a light blue background and white border. A simple text box at the bottom of the card contains his full name and his misspelled nickname: Leroy "Satchell" Paige.

1949 Bowman #224 Satchel Paige graded CSG 5 Click images to enlarge.

Paige had already played professionally for over two decades before joining Cleveland in 1948 at 42 years old. He would only play in the MLB for five full seasons, but his impact on baseball was immense. Paige was the first black pitcher to ever take the mound in the American League and was the seventh black player to ever play in the MLB. He was a six-time Negro league All-Star and six-time Negro World Series champion. Paige would go on to become a two-time MLB All-Star and won the World Series in Cleveland in 1948. To this day, Paige still holds the record for being the oldest MLB player in history. In 1971, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.