The Five most iconic Hockey Cards thread

[Cubs2024wildcard]

As somebody who went thru the huge card boom of the late 80's early 90's, to the ridiculous pandemic sports card explosion of the last year, sports cards, just like pretty much every nerd hobby of the last decade, have become big business.

Did I say big? I meant to say huge. Sports cards aren't even a second thought any more, as more and more investors are parlaying their cash into pieces of cardboard now seen as not only an investment, but also a piece of sports history.

As somebody who has made alot of money selling sports cards, I also saw the potential in hockey cards as they were nowhere near the price levels of the big three sports. Sure, they're not as desirable in the states compared to the other three sports, but that's fine. Hockey fans, more then any other sport, have a great chance at getting a legendary players rookie card for decent prices compared to a legend of another sport.

On that, this, in my opinion, are the five most iconic Hockey card rookies of all time.

79/80 Wayne Gretzky

The first one is obvious, and quite honestly is the one most will have a decent chance of finding within their collections now or past. I have had at least 20 within my possession thru out my time as a collector/seller. It's probably the most iconic card in the sport and comes from a tough set. The blue boarders chip easily and your chances of pulling a high grade specimen right from the pack really aren't in your favor.

I highly recommend getting any Gretzky rookie no matter the grade so long as it's graded by PSA. There are so many fakes out there and have been out there that it isn't worth the hassle buying raw.

The OPC is the king, but there's more growth potential from the Topps version.

51 Parkhurst Gordie Howe

There's an awful lot of ridiculously high grade Howes out there at decent prices, with lower grades being relatively cheap for one of the greatest players in the games history. The Gretzky rookie sale does nothing but helps this cards value. Now would be the time to buy this 70 year old card.

I would stick with PSA or SCG, I wouldn't buy a Howe graded by BGS.

66 Topps Bobby Orr

The greatest design ever for a Hockey set to go along with the greatest player the game has ever seen. I traded for mine for a Donruss Don Mattingly rookie and 25 bucks. The wood grain borders are tough and it's a really horrible set for centering.

And this is why I frown upon BGS when it comes to grading vintage cards, there's a BVG 10 pristine Orr out on eBay for 175k. That is an insane grade and a PSA 10 at that price wouldn't last a minute at any auction.

']1958 topps 66 bobby hull 13676 — Postimages[/URL][/img]​

58 Bobby Hull

Not a fan of Hull.

05/06 The Cup Sidney Crosby

The only current card that honestly has a chance at pulling Gretzky type numbers, serial numbered to only 99 copies, The Cup ushered in the super premium sets into the hockey ecosystem. Sure it's ugly, but so are all Cup rookies, and 05/06 isn't the easiest cards to keep, but nobody can deny it's impact.

This is the only card I would recommend BGS over PSA on this list.

Honorable mentions

85/86 Mario Lemieuxs rookie

Should be there, but there's alot of them out there and you can still find rae copies for under 50 bucks authentic if you know where to look.

Young Guns McDavid rookie

Moreso then his Cup rookie, the YG is the go to McDavid rookie when it comes to casual fans the same way the Trout Topps update became the go-to Trout Rookie.

Plus, you can realisticly pull one out of a blaster from Walmart.

What cards do you think I missed?

Click to read more...

 

[Dicky113]

As somebody who went thru the huge card boom of the late 80's early 90's, to the ridiculous pandemic sports card explosion of the last year, sports cards, just like pretty much every nerd hobby of the last decade, have become big business.

Did I say big? I meant to say huge. Sports cards aren't even a second thought any more, as more and more investors are parlaying their cash into pieces of cardboard now seen as not only an investment, but also a piece of sports history.

As somebody who has made alot of money selling sports cards, I also saw the potential in hockey cards as they were nowhere near the price levels of the big three sports. Sure, they're not as desirable in the states compared to the other three sports, but that's fine. Hockey fans, more then any other sport, have a great chance at getting a legendary players rookie card for decent prices compared to a legend of another sport.

On that, this, in my opinion, are the five most iconic Hockey card rookies of all time.

79/80 Wayne Gretzky

The first one is obvious, and quite honestly is the one most will have a decent chance of finding within their collections now or past. I have had at least 20 within my possession thru out my time as a collector/seller. It's probably the most iconic card in the sport and comes from a tough set. The blue boarders chip easily and your chances of pulling a high grade specimen right from the pack really aren't in your favor.

I highly recommend getting any Gretzky rookie no matter the grade so long as it's graded by PSA. There are so many fakes out there and have been out there that it isn't worth the hassle buying raw.

The OPC is the king, but there's more growth potential from the Topps version.

51 Parkhurst Gordie Howe

There's an awful lot of ridiculously high grade Howes out there at decent prices, with lower grades being relatively cheap for one of the greatest players in the games history. The Gretzky rookie sale does nothing but helps this cards value. Now would be the time to buy this 70 year old card.

I would stick with PSA or SCG, I wouldn't buy a Howe graded by BGS.

66 Topps Bobby Orr

The greatest design ever for a Hockey set to go along with the greatest player the game has ever seen. I traded for mine for a Donruss Don Mattingly rookie and 25 bucks. The wood grain borders are tough and it's a really horrible set for centering.

And this is why I frown upon BGS when it comes to grading vintage cards, there's a BVG 10 pristine Orr out on eBay for 175k. That is an insane grade and a PSA 10 at that price wouldn't last a minute at any auction.

']1958 topps 66 bobby hull 13676 — Postimages[/URL][/img]​

58 Bobby Hull

Not a fan of Hull.

05/06 The Cup Sidney Crosby

The only current card that honestly has a chance at pulling Gretzky type numbers, serial numbered to only 99 copies, The Cup ushered in the super premium sets into the hockey ecosystem. Sure it's ugly, but so are all Cup rookies, and 05/06 isn't the easiest cards to keep, but nobody can deny it's impact.

This is the only card I would recommend BGS over PSA on this list.

Honorable mentions

85/86 Mario Lemieuxs rookie

Should be there, but there's alot of them out there and you can still find rae copies for under 50 bucks authentic if you know where to look.

Young Guns McDavid rookie

Moreso then his Cup rookie, the YG is the go to McDavid rookie when it comes to casual fans the same way the Trout Topps update became the go-to Trout Rookie.

Plus, you can realisticly pull one out of a blaster from Walmart.

What cards do you think I missed?

Sid young guns is ahead of the cup. There’s more of them so more interest, plus the high gloss /10 is a potential million dollar card

 

[DropTheGloves]

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

Sid young guns is ahead of the cup. There’s more of them so more interest, plus the high gloss /10 is a potential million dollar card

The Crosby Cup rookie is significant because of The Cup set itself.

I think those who would choose a high gloss over a Cup rookie are extremely limited. High gloss cards are more a parallel then an actual rookie, hence why I left it off the list.

 

[StrompTroller]

is this worth anything lol? I had like 7 of these when I was a kid that are definitely decomposing in a dump somewhere because I was a kid (not because I meant any disrespect to Bure)

 

[kaiser matias]

is this worth anything lol? I had like 7 of these when I was a kid that are definitely decomposing in a dump somewhere because I was a kid (not because I meant any disrespect to Bure)

Not really because that's not his rookie card, its from the year after. His rookie card is this:

 

[StrompTroller]

Not really because that's not his rookie card, its from the year after. His rookie card is this:

good now I don't feel as bad about the people I couldn't get xmas gifts for lol.

 

[alko]

Are only Rookie cards something worth?

And is this something worth?

 

[Barnum]

As somebody who went thru the huge card boom of the late 80's early 90's, to the ridiculous pandemic sports card explosion of the last year, sports cards, just like pretty much every nerd hobby of the last decade, have become big business.

Did I say big? I meant to say huge. Sports cards aren't even a second thought any more, as more and more investors are parlaying their cash into pieces of cardboard now seen as not only an investment, but also a piece of sports history.

As somebody who has made alot of money selling sports cards, I also saw the potential in hockey cards as they were nowhere near the price levels of the big three sports. Sure, they're not as desirable in the states compared to the other three sports, but that's fine. Hockey fans, more then any other sport, have a great chance at getting a legendary players rookie card for decent prices compared to a legend of another sport.

On that, this, in my opinion, are the five most iconic Hockey card rookies of all time.

79/80 Wayne Gretzky

The first one is obvious, and quite honestly is the one most will have a decent chance of finding within their collections now or past. I have had at least 20 within my possession thru out my time as a collector/seller. It's probably the most iconic card in the sport and comes from a tough set. The blue boarders chip easily and your chances of pulling a high grade specimen right from the pack really aren't in your favor.

I highly recommend getting any Gretzky rookie no matter the grade so long as it's graded by PSA. There are so many fakes out there and have been out there that it isn't worth the hassle buying raw.

The OPC is the king, but there's more growth potential from the Topps version.

51 Parkhurst Gordie Howe

There's an awful lot of ridiculously high grade Howes out there at decent prices, with lower grades being relatively cheap for one of the greatest players in the games history. The Gretzky rookie sale does nothing but helps this cards value. Now would be the time to buy this 70 year old card.

I would stick with PSA or SCG, I wouldn't buy a Howe graded by BGS.

66 Topps Bobby Orr

The greatest design ever for a Hockey set to go along with the greatest player the game has ever seen. I traded for mine for a Donruss Don Mattingly rookie and 25 bucks. The wood grain borders are tough and it's a really horrible set for centering.

And this is why I frown upon BGS when it comes to grading vintage cards, there's a BVG 10 pristine Orr out on eBay for 175k. That is an insane grade and a PSA 10 at that price wouldn't last a minute at any auction.

']1958 topps 66 bobby hull 13676 — Postimages[/URL][/img]​

58 Bobby Hull

Not a fan of Hull.

05/06 The Cup Sidney Crosby

The only current card that honestly has a chance at pulling Gretzky type numbers, serial numbered to only 99 copies, The Cup ushered in the super premium sets into the hockey ecosystem. Sure it's ugly, but so are all Cup rookies, and 05/06 isn't the easiest cards to keep, but nobody can deny it's impact.

This is the only card I would recommend BGS over PSA on this list.

Honorable mentions

85/86 Mario Lemieuxs rookie

Should be there, but there's alot of them out there and you can still find rae copies for under 50 bucks authentic if you know where to look.

Young Guns McDavid rookie

Moreso then his Cup rookie, the YG is the go to McDavid rookie when it comes to casual fans the same way the Trout Topps update became the go-to Trout Rookie.

Plus, you can realisticly pull one out of a blaster from Walmart.

What cards do you think I missed?

Ironic, how you mentioned fake Gretzky rookie cards while posting a pic of a fake. The first thing you look for in a Gretzky rookie is the “dust” spot on the left shoulder which in your picture, it clearly doesn’t have. Also with Gretzky cards, the edges are expected to be ragged and in some cases will not affect the price of the card.

The real card should look like this with the blemish on the shoulder:

Spot a Counterfeit 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card

 

[Barnum]

Are only Rookie cards something worth?

And is this something worth?

Rarity, demand, player and condition are the biggest factors for card values.


Pierre Turgeon Hockey Cards

 

[jetsforever]

As somebody who went thru the huge card boom of the late 80's early 90's, to the ridiculous pandemic sports card explosion of the last year, sports cards, just like pretty much every nerd hobby of the last decade, have become big business.

Did I say big? I meant to say huge. Sports cards aren't even a second thought any more, as more and more investors are parlaying their cash into pieces of cardboard now seen as not only an investment, but also a piece of sports history.

As somebody who has made alot of money selling sports cards, I also saw the potential in hockey cards as they were nowhere near the price levels of the big three sports. Sure, they're not as desirable in the states compared to the other three sports, but that's fine. Hockey fans, more then any other sport, have a great chance at getting a legendary players rookie card for decent prices compared to a legend of another sport.

On that, this, in my opinion, are the five most iconic Hockey card rookies of all time.

79/80 Wayne Gretzky

The first one is obvious, and quite honestly is the one most will have a decent chance of finding within their collections now or past. I have had at least 20 within my possession thru out my time as a collector/seller. It's probably the most iconic card in the sport and comes from a tough set. The blue boarders chip easily and your chances of pulling a high grade specimen right from the pack really aren't in your favor.

I highly recommend getting any Gretzky rookie no matter the grade so long as it's graded by PSA. There are so many fakes out there and have been out there that it isn't worth the hassle buying raw.

The OPC is the king, but there's more growth potential from the Topps version.

51 Parkhurst Gordie Howe

There's an awful lot of ridiculously high grade Howes out there at decent prices, with lower grades being relatively cheap for one of the greatest players in the games history. The Gretzky rookie sale does nothing but helps this cards value. Now would be the time to buy this 70 year old card.

I would stick with PSA or SCG, I wouldn't buy a Howe graded by BGS.

66 Topps Bobby Orr

The greatest design ever for a Hockey set to go along with the greatest player the game has ever seen. I traded for mine for a Donruss Don Mattingly rookie and 25 bucks. The wood grain borders are tough and it's a really horrible set for centering.

And this is why I frown upon BGS when it comes to grading vintage cards, there's a BVG 10 pristine Orr out on eBay for 175k. That is an insane grade and a PSA 10 at that price wouldn't last a minute at any auction.

']1958 topps 66 bobby hull 13676 — Postimages[/URL][/img]​

58 Bobby Hull

Not a fan of Hull.

05/06 The Cup Sidney Crosby

The only current card that honestly has a chance at pulling Gretzky type numbers, serial numbered to only 99 copies, The Cup ushered in the super premium sets into the hockey ecosystem. Sure it's ugly, but so are all Cup rookies, and 05/06 isn't the easiest cards to keep, but nobody can deny it's impact.

This is the only card I would recommend BGS over PSA on this list.

Honorable mentions

85/86 Mario Lemieuxs rookie

Should be there, but there's alot of them out there and you can still find rae copies for under 50 bucks authentic if you know where to look.

Young Guns McDavid rookie

Moreso then his Cup rookie, the YG is the go to McDavid rookie when it comes to casual fans the same way the Trout Topps update became the go-to Trout Rookie.

Plus, you can realisticly pull one out of a blaster from Walmart.

What cards do you think I missed?

I haven't paid attention to cards in a while but that was a great summary!

 

[Rorschach]

I did a similar countdown once but it was the most iconic/influential cards between the wax era to the modern era and it was a top 50 and it was organized chronologically. Then, for the cards I identified and didn’t own, I went out and acquired them. So it’s not only a list but an actual collection.

The point was to show how we came from wax packs with gum and one-sided cards made of pulp, with cards and packs costing a buck, to the cards of today where you can open cards in new packs worth hundreds and thousands. And which companies were responsible for the best and the very worst innovations in the hobby.

 

[kaiser matias]

Rarity, demand, player and condition are the biggest factors for card values.


Pierre Turgeon Hockey Cards

That card is for his brother, Sylvain.

 

[ted2019]

Sid young guns is ahead of the cup. There’s more of them so more interest, plus the high gloss /10 is a potential million dollar card

A high gloss/10 has no potential to be a Million Dollar card.

 

[blankall]

Ironic, how you mentioned fake Gretzky rookie cards while posting a pic of a fake. The first thing you look for in a Gretzky rookie is the “dust” spot on the left shoulder which in your picture, it clearly doesn’t have. Also with Gretzky cards, the edges are expected to be ragged and in some cases will not affect the price of the card.

The real card should look like this with the blemish on the shoulder:

Spot a Counterfeit 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card

The card he posted is probably the Topps version, such has no dot. On the fakes the centering is usually better.

The Topps version is also more common (and cheaper). So just Gretzky don't have the dot, just the opc version, which is the Canadian version.

 

[cedouimet]

I guess the maurice richard RC is missing big time here!

 

[HoseEmDown]

So you're telling me I need to go into my closet and find my collection to see if I can become rich? How does one sell a card even if its nothing special just something that might get like $5? Rather get 5 bucks then have something being wasted in my closet.

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

good now I don't feel as bad about the people I couldn't get xmas gifts for lol.

Even Bure’s rookie card s pretty much worthless. They are selling for around 5$

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

So you're telling me I need to go into my closet and find my collection to see if I can become rich? How does one sell a card even if its nothing special just something that might get like $5? Rather get 5 bucks then have something being wasted in my closet.

Theres a cool new site I discovered last night Its called something silly like ‘ebay’ if I can remember correctly

 

[Barnum]

That card is for his brother, Sylvain.

It’s listed in that link which is why I linked it. There was a reason.

Problem with that card, it is some sort of promo re-release (I think) that’s highlighting Patrick Kane’s head.

 

[Dicky113]

A high gloss/10 has no potential to be a Million Dollar card.

Lafrenieres are going for 100K and he hasn’t played a game yet. You don’t think Crosby could go for 10X that to someone with I don’t give a f*** money ?

 

[HoseEmDown]

Theres a cool new site I discovered last night Its called something silly like ‘ebay’ if I can remember correctly

Cool I'll check that out. So when I mail my card and it gets damaged do I still get my $5?

 

[avsfan9]

Lafrenieres are going for 100K and he hasn’t played a game yet. You don’t think Crosby could go for 10X that to someone with I don’t give a f*** money ?

Who the hell is paying 100k for a Lafreniere rc?
The guy doesn’t predict to be anymore than an average #1 pick. He’s not in the Mcdavid, Crosby tier of “ generational” rookies. He’s more of a Stamkos, Mackinnon level tier. Good with a chance to be great.

 

[kaiser matias]

It’s listed in that link which is why I linked it. There was a reason.

Problem with that card, it is some sort of promo re-release (I think) that’s highlighting Patrick Kane’s head.

Didn't even notice that was a new card. Thought that was just a photo highlighting Kane, weird they made a whole new card like that.

 

[blankall]

Lafrenieres are going for 100K and he hasn’t played a game yet. You don’t think Crosby could go for 10X that to someone with I don’t give a f*** money ?

Where are the Lafs going for $100k? An Ovechkin is currently listed for $80k and not selling. Players like Kane, Draisaitl, and Makar are going for $3k.

My guess is Crosby would go for about $125k. Last I heard the "bounty" on the Laf high gloss was $16k.