10 Most Valuable Hockey Cards: From $22,000 To $1.29 Million
For most, card collecting is a fun hobby. For others, finding the most valuable hockey cards is a form of competitive one-upmanship. And don’t think card collecting is for kids. Some of the most expensive hockey cards can easily be worth six figures.
Simply put, a good sports card collection is like an investment portfolio – with very similar pros and cons (this is not financial advice, any investment, especially sports cards can go up and down in value – so always know the risk).
What we know about hockey card values is that condition, scarcity, and the player shown are key. Here’s a look at the ten most valuable hockey cards over the years.
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10. 1923 V145-1 #15 Howie Morenz Rookie Card, $25,000
Howie Morenz was part of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s original nine inductees and is hailed as one of the NHL’s first major stars. He was also a three-time winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy. Morenz was famous for his incredible skating abilities and nicknamed the ‘Stratford Streak.’ He was known as the ‘Mitchell Meteor’ because of his speed on the ice.
This card is valued at $25,000 and is usually available in mint condition.
9. 1912 C57 #1 Georges Vezina, $25,000
The estimated value of the 1912 C57 #1 Georges Vezina card in its mint condition is believed to be $25,000. This is a highly sought-after hockey card worth serious money because it was the number one card of 50 cards distributed with cigarette packs. Since this was the #1 card, it is often valued as being top of the stack by collectors who like to collect the full set.
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8. 2005 The Cup #180 Sidney Crosby Rookie Card Autograph, $37,200
One of the top ten most expensive hockey cards is 2005’s ‘The Cup #180 Sidney Crosby Rookie Card Autograph’, valued at $37,200. This card is considered the Holy Grail of all the Sidney Crosby cards because it features an on-card autograph and a jersey patch. These are extremely rare hockey cards, and you are unlikely to ever see them in any auction or sale. And if you do, be warned, collectors go crazy for it.
7. 1923 V145-1 #25 Bert Corbeau Rookie Card, $40,000
With an estimated value of $40,000 in good condition, this hockey card earns the seventh spot on this list – despite never being a Hall of Famer. Despite this, Bert Corbeau‘s rookie card is valuable and worth serious money. The 1923 V145-1 #25 Bert Corbeau Rookie Card was part of a 40-card promotional set that also included hockey greats like Howie Morenz, Aurele Joliat, and others. Nevertheless, it is the scarcity of this card that boosts its value.
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6. 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe Rookie Card, $56,000
Valued at $56,000, the 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe Rookie Card is one of the most expensive hockey cards in the world. It is one of the most famous and widely recognized hockey cards and was part of an iconic set of cards featuring many legendary players like Terry Sawchuck and Maurice Richard. Unfortunately, finding cards from this set in good condition is rare due to how they were produced.
5. 1911 C55 Imperial Tobacco #38 Georges Vezina Rookie Card, $75,000
This is the only recognized rookie card of Georges Vezina, a man who is famous for his goalkeeping excellence. Valued at an incredible $75,000, this card was the key to the entire 1911 C55 set, which features beautiful artwork surrounded by upside-down hockey sticks. The 1910 and 1911 Imperial Tobacco cards were among the first-ever hockey cards produced, which is why these cards are so valuable among collectors.
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4. 1958 Topps #66 Bobby Hull Rookie Card, $175,000
The 1958 Topps #66 Bobby Hull Rookie Card in mint condition has an estimated value of around $175,000. Bobby Hull was known for his power on the ice and won two Hart Memorial Trophies as well as three Art Ross Trophies over his star-studded career. This 1958 Topps rookie card was the last card in the set that was printed, which meant it was positioned in the bottom corner of the printing sheet. This made it prone to poor centering and more wear and tear.
Even in a modest condition, this hockey card is worth thousands of dollars.
3. Bobby Orr: 1966 Topps USA Test PSA 10, $204,000
The Bobby Orr 1966 Topps USA Test card, with a condition of PSA 10 (pristine) is valued at a whopping $204,000. Regardless of the condition, this card remains one of the rarest hockey cards and is coveted by collectors. This is purely down to Bobby Orr being a true hockey legend.
The card hails from the 1966 Topps USA Test set and is considered to be rare because it only contains the information on the back in English, as compared to the bilingual data found on other standard cards. It is hard to find this hockey card in mint condition today.
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2. 1979 Topps #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card, $720,000
This is one of the most desirable hockey cards in the world, and collectors are ready to shell out any amount of money to have this in their collection. Wayne Gretzky is considered one of the greatest hockey players ever in the NHL and is the only player to have his number retired while still alive.
This player’s rookie card is valued at $720,000 in mint condition. With some even estimating it might be worth over a million.
1. 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card, $1.29 million
Sold for $1.29 million in 2020, the 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card is the most valuable hockey card ever. This is the second Wayne Gretzky rookie card that finds its way on this list, and being an O-Pee-Chee card, this card has a higher value than the other Gretzky rookie card.
O-Pee-Chee cards are usually more challenging to find, and the 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card in mind condition is ridiculously scarce.
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Not all hockey cards are worth thousands of dollars, but the older the card is and the more famous a player is, their cards will be exceedingly valuable. If you want to grow your collection or just pine for rare cards, add these ten most valuable hockey cards to your list.
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