Reminder: Hockey Card Collectors Still Love Wayne Gretzky

How 'The Great One's' Rookie Card is Still a Fixture in the Hobby

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It's arguably one of the most iconic and recognizable hockey cards ever made. If you're lucky enough to own it, you hold it near and dear to your heart, and if you don't, there's a good chance you've dreamed of grabbing one for yourself. The iconic design with Wayne Gretzky's name in white text popping out from the light blue border is imprinted in the minds of hockey fans, along with the picture of him wearing the old Edmonton Oilers jersey with the tacky orange logo. Every element of it was fitting for the time, yet it has also aged like fine wine.

No matter where you stand on Gretzky as a player, it's undeniable that his rookie cards from the 1979 Topps and O-Pee-Chee sets have helped shape the hobby into what it is today. Whether you own one, want one, or just want to know some more about its history, this article helps explain everything you need to know about it. I've compiled data from CardLadder and the major grading companies to give you an idea of what they are currently worth and what value they may hold in the future. I also share some of the advice I received from other collectors to give more information about the history and future of the card, including how to spot possible counterfeits.

A Crash Course

If you're reading this right now, you're probably aware of Wayne Gretzky and the impact he had on hockey during his professional career, breaking nearly every record that exists. For someone who's changed the game as much as he has, people naturally value his rookie hockey card. These days, as many of us know, Upper Deck holds the exclusive card license for NHL teams and players, but back in 1979, Topps was the major player in the U.S. while O-Pee-Chee was the same in Canada. According to Sports Card Investor, the two companies formed a marketing agreement in the 1960s, and as a result, they released hockey card sets with nearly identical designs in the countries they marketed to. Naturally, since Canada's a smaller market, less O-Pee-Chee Gretzky cards were made.

Fast forward to today, and you may find that it's extremely difficult to find one that is in mint condition. On top of the normal wear and tear that can occur over 40+ years, some of these cards were doomed from the start. Although we like to point out and complain about quality control from modern hockey cards (which is a whole different discussion), we've definitely come a long way in terms of how they're manufactured. Back in 1979, centring was a major issue for many cards, along with the fact that sheets were cut using dull knives, mainly for the O-Pee-Chee set. Some of you may find the final results hilariously bad.

What's the Value?

It's a question that gets asked all the time, and for good reason. Whether you're selling one or looking to buy one, it's important to know how much you should expect to be investing. As much as it'd be nice to be able to give you a straight answer, the reality is the value of a card depends on a bunch of different factors. The main one is condition. Thankfully, grading companies help give collectors clarity towards it. Once these cards are encased in plastic slabs, you'll know exactly what you're getting, and depending on the grading company, you'll know why it's been given a certain number on a 10-point scale.

All the population reports for all the grading companies share one similar trend though: it's very hard to come across a mint or gem mint condition of a Gretzky rookie, whether it was made by Topps or O-Pee-Chee. According to PSA, out of 8,284 total Topps cards graded by them, only 128 have received a mint 9 grade, while only 2 have received a gem mint 10. You can see a very similar trend with O-Pee-Chee cards as well. Out of 9,171 total cards graded, only 91 have come back as a mint 9, and only 2 gem mint 10s exist. Naturally, if you're lucky enough to see one that is up for a public auction, you should expect to pay a premium. According to CardLadder, the Topps PSA 9 sold for $43,200 US this past March, while the O-Pee-Chee PSA 9 sold for $114,000 US just over a month ago. PSA 10s for both have sold for over a million dollars.

Breaking Records

When you're the greatest to ever play the game, there's always a market for your rookie card, but in recent years, we've seen those values skyrocket. As was the case with myself, and many of you I'm sure, the pandemic and the free time it suddenly created allowed many of us to invest more time into the hobby. The new levels of hype resulted in sales records being shattered for numerous cards, and Gretzky's rookie is no exception. According to PriceGuide, the average cost of a PSA 7 in 2018 was $511 US. In 2023, the average value of the same card is $2800 US. A similar trend can also be seen with O-Pee-Chee cards. The average PSA 7 sold for $1710 US in 2018, compared to $5428 US in 2023.

As for the all-time high, the record was most recently broken in 2021, as a PSA 10 sold through Heritage Auctions fetched $3.75 million US. Not only is this the most expensive sale for a Gretzky card, but this is also unsurprisingly the most valuable hockey card ever purchased.

If It's Too Good to be True...

Unfortunately, with a hockey card as valuable and popular as 'The Great One's' rookie, people have tried to profit off of the hype and take advantage of collectors by making their own fake cards and reprints, advertising them as legitimate copies. I can guarantee you it won't be a good feeling if you buy a raw card and try to get it graded, only to realize that it's not authentic. It's easier to sell a graded one than a raw one because there's no doubt that it's authentic. At the same time, if you're buying a raw one, you're taking a huge gamble in the process.

Luckily, Beckett has created a guide with tips to help spot counterfeits, and the main takeaway if that the differences are tough to spot unless you're looking close enough. However, the computer-made fakes will often have pixelated edges on the design and text fonts, which are dead giveaways. A little bit of common sense and critical thinking can also help you make the right decision too. We know that it's so rare to find a card that's in great shape, so if you happen to see a raw copy that looks crisp and pristine, the mental alarm should be sounding off in your head, as there's virtually zero chance that it's authentic. If you do your due diligence, you have a good chance at avoiding disaster.

What does the Future Hold?

If we all knew how the value of anything would move in the future, we'd all be able to feed our families for more generations than we could count. Of course, the world doesn't work like that, so I won't pretend that I'm qualified to give you investing advice. However, it's clear to us that this card is still a holy grail for many collectors. If you're in the market for one yourself, it may be a bit easier on your wallet compared to a couple of years ago, but you won't be finding any steals either. As long as his name is in the record books, Wayne Gretzky will always be a name that's valued in the hobby, especially when it comes to autographs, memorabilia, and other collectibles. However, his first card as an NHL player in the iconic Oilers uniform will always resonate the most with collectors.

Looking for the next big piece to your collection? Check out the Puckdrop Cards & Breaks Facebook Group to see who's selling and trading their hockey cards.