Lot # 2965: 1957-1958 Topps Basketball Near-Complete Set (79/80) Including #17 Bob Cousy Rookie SGC EX+ 5.5

Presented is a very attractive near-complete set of 1957-1958 Topps basketball consisting of 79 different cards out of 80 in a complete set. Missing just #77 Russell for completion. Condition is 40% Ex-Mt to Nr/Mt (mostly Ex-Mt) and 60% Vg-Ex to Ex. Nine cards have been professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA (5) and SGC (4, submitted by REA). Keys: #1 Clifton (Ex due to centering), 2 Yardley RC (EX-MT 6), 3 Johnston RC (Ex), 5 Sharman RC (Vg-Ex), 10 Arizin RC (Ex due to centering), 11 (NM 7), 12 Martin RC (Ex+), 13 Schayes RC (Ex-Mt), 15 Ramsey RC (Ex-Mt due solely to centering), 16 McGuire RC (SGC EX/NM 6), 17 Cousy RC (SGC EX+ 5.5), 18 (NM 7), 19 Heinsohn RC (SGC EX+ 5.5), 23 (EX-MT 6), 24 Pettit RC (Vg-Ex+), 27 Macauley RC (Ex-Mt due to centering), 28 Mikkelsen RC (Ex due to centering), 29 Naulls SP (Ex+), 32 Kerr SP (Ex due to centering), 33 Costello RC (Ex+), 37 Hagan RC (Ex), 39 Loscutoff SP (Ex-Mt), 42 Stokes RC (Ex-Mt), 43 Hundley RC (Ex), 44 Gola RC (Ex-Mt), 56 Houbregs (SGC EX/NM 6), 59 Bianchi SP (Ex-Mt), 62 Gallatin RC (20/80 T/B, otherwise Nr/Mt), 71 Twyman RC (NM 7), 74 Leonard SP (Ex), 75 Phillip SP (Ex-Mt), 78 Lovellette RC (10/90 T/B, otherwise Nr/Mt-Mt), and 80 Schnittker SP (Ex). This is Topps' first basketball set, and the only basketball set Topps issued during the 1950s. It apparently did not sell well as Topps did not follow up with another basketball set until 1969. The set includes the rookie cards of all of the major stars of the era. 1957 Topps Basketball is well known for production-related problems, making the assembly of high-quality sets particularly challenging. This is a very attractive and consistent near-complete set of this extremely significant basketball issue. Total: 79 cards.