Presented is the rookie card of one of hockey's most influential figures: a 1910 C56 Imperial Tobacco #8 Art Ross, graded EX 5 by PSA. The C56 set was issued by the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada and ranks among the earliest and most important hockey card issues ever produced. Mid-grade survivors are increasingly difficult to find.

The obverse presents a lithographed portrait of a young Ross set against a teal background. He wears a maroon sweater with a large white "H" for the Haileybury Club and a white turtleneck collar. The card number "No. 8" appears at upper left, and the caption "Art Ross of Haileybury Club" runs along the bottom border. The reverse, under a crossed-sticks "Hockey Series" header, describes Ross as a "Sporting Goods Merchant, Montreal" and charts his early career with Brandon, Kenora, the Montreal Wanderers and Haileybury.

Ross's legacy reaches far beyond his playing days. He won Stanley Cups with Kenora in 1907 and the Wanderers in 1908. He later became the founding coach and general manager of the Boston Bruins, guiding the club to its first Stanley Cup, and he helped refine the design of the modern puck and goal net. The NHL's scoring championship trophy bears his name, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1949.

This example displays strong color and a sharp portrait, with light corner wear and even toning consistent with the EX 5 grade. Encapsulated by PSA (Cert. #14617958).