Mario Lemieux

Hockey1985-86 O-Pee-Chee

Mario Lemieux from 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee

Sport & Year

Hockey1985

Brand & Set

O-Pee-Chee - 1985-86 O-Pee-Chee

Card Number

#9

Card Type

Rookie Card

Rarity

Base

Parallel Variant & Language

BaseEnglish / French (bi-lingual on back)

Condition & Value Assessment

Condition Grade

Very Good-Excellent (VG-EX 4)

Estimated Market Value

Raw: $350 - $600 | Graded (PSA 4): $450 - $550 | Graded (PSA 8+): $2,000+

Recent Sales

Recent eBay sales for raw copies with centering issues range from $300 to $500. PSA 4 copies typically sell for around $500, while PSA 9s can exceed $10,000.

Condition Details

Highly visible top-to-bottom centering issues (heavy bottom-heavy shift). Significant edge whitening on the right side and bottom edge through the yellow border. Visible corner rounding on the bottom right and top right corners. Potential surface scuffing or 'fisheye' printing defects common for this era.

Grading Recommendation

Yes, grading is recommended for authentication purposes alone. Because this is one of the most counterfeited cards in the hobby, a slabbed 'Authentic' or low grade (even a 3 or 4) preserves value and ensures liquidity. Do not expect a high grade due to severe centering and edge wear.

Card Description

Card features Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame center Mario Lemieux in his classic home yellow jersey. The design includes a yellow border, the 'O-Pee-Chee' logo in the top left, and the Penguins logo in the upper right. Mario's iconic #66 is clearly visible on his shoulder.

Notable Features

This is Mario Lemieux’s primary rookie card. O-Pee-Chee cards from this year are generally more valuable than the Topps counterpart due to a larger set size and more 'rough' cuts that make high grades rare. Features the RC designation in the hobby community.

Authentication Notes

Print quality appears consistent with 1980s cardboard stock. The 'rough' edge cut on the right is typical of the O-Pee-Chee wire-cutting process. Verification of the dot pattern (Ben-Day dots) in the yellow border under magnification would be required for absolute certainty of authenticity.

Scanned: 2026-04-14T15:59:44.402307