ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
THAT'S A LOT OF MOOLAH. In 1962, Jerry Lucas signed his first professional contract with the ABL's Cleveland Pipers, featuring $10,000 of compensation per season and an additional $40,000 in stock options – a pretty lucrative deal then. However, the Pipers later disbanded after an ABL league merger with the NBA, sending Lucas to play his official rookie season for the Cincinnati Royals.
Over 60 years later, another lucrative deal involving Lucas has occurred, as The Columbus Dispatch's Rob Oller reported the Ohio State men's basketball legend had his Topps NBA “rookie” card sell for $24,000 more than Lucas' contract with the Pipers/Royals: $84,000 at the PWCC Marketplace Weekly Auction on June 4.
Cincinnati Royals forward Jerry Lucas (16) in action during his rookie year against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Cincinnati Gardens.
After the sale, a PWCC press release stated, "This auction sale shatters Lucas’ previous record, which was set at $8,511 in May. The reason for the record here is in large part due to scarcity in the quality of the card. This is one of only two examples of Lucas’ Topps rookie card to earn PSA’s Gem Mint 10 designation.”
I won't pretend to understand what PSA's Gem Mint 10 designation means, but that card must be rare and in fantastic condition for someone to bid $84,000 to win an auction. For comparison, most of Lucas' rookie cards cost between $11 and $4,000, depending on their condition. Congratulations to the winner for having more disposable income than I could ever hope to have. You are winning at life.
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