Bill Russell's Celtics, Olympic Memorabilia Sells for More Than $5.3M at Auction

Erin WalshDecember 11, 2021

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 24: Former NBA Player, Bill Russell attends the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics on November 24, 2021 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Bill Russell's Boston Celtics and Olympic memorabilia sold for more than $5.3 million at an auction held at TD Garden on Friday night, per The Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

Here are some of the items sold and their prices:

1969 NBA Finals Game 7 jersey: $1,116,250.
First championship ring: $705,000.
1956 Olympic gold medal: $587,500.
Five NBA MVP trophies: $1,313,500.

Darren Rovell @darrenrovell
The jersey worn by Bill Russell in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals has sold in the <a href="https://twitter.com/HuntAuctions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@huntauctions</a> sale for $1.1 million. <a href="https://t.co/2M332W90ME">pic.twitter.com/2M332W90ME</a>

Nick Zaccardi @nzaccardi
That’s more than Miracle on Ice gold medals have sold for (that I’ve seen). Well shy of the Olympic gold medal record: One of Jesse Owens' four golds from the 1936 Berlin Games sold for $1,466,574 in 2013.

Darren Rovell @darrenrovell
Amazing Bill Russell worn fleece warmup sells for $94,000 in <a href="https://twitter.com/HuntAuctions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@huntauctions</a> sale. The most iconic warmup in all of sports. <a href="https://t.co/7e8fEoIQCE">pic.twitter.com/7e8fEoIQCE</a>

Darren Rovell @darrenrovell
Bill Russell's 1957 championship ring -- his first of 11 -- sold just now at <a href="https://twitter.com/HuntAuctions?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HuntAuctions</a> for $705,000. Earlier this week, <a href="https://twitter.com/SHAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SHAQ</a> said "nobody will be able to outbid me." Auction house not commenting if Shaq was the winner. <a href="https://t.co/h4a0PpKlr0">pic.twitter.com/h4a0PpKlr0</a>

The auction featured 429 items from Russell's career. In addition to what was mentioned above, a page from his scrapbook signed by Jackie Robinson sold for $94,000.

Some of the proceeds are being donated to MENTOR, which aims "to close the mentoring gap and drive equity through quality mentoring relationships for young people," and to Boston Celtics United for Social Justice.

Russell, a Hall of Famer, spent his entire 13-year career with the Celtics, winning 11 NBA titles and five MVP awards and being named to 12 All-Star teams.