Wayne Gretzky
Hockey • 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Sport & Year
Hockey • 1979
Brand & Set
O-Pee-Chee (OPC) - 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Card Number
#18
Card Type
Rookie Card (RC)
Rarity
Rookie Card
Parallel Variant & Language
Base • English/French (Bilingual back, "center/centre" on front)
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Authentic / Very Good (VG 3) or Lower (Questionable)
Estimated Market Value
$50 - $400 (Value if authentic but damaged; $0 if counterfeit)
Recent Sales
Authentic VG 3 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky RCs range from $800-$1,200. Reprints/Counterfeits sell for $5-$20 for novelty.
Condition Details
Highly questionable authenticity based on visual indicators. The cards show unusual surface cracking/spiderwebbing across the entire image that is not typical of 1979 OPC card stock. If real, they show significant corner wear, edge chipping, and severe surface degradation. Centering is poor (heavy to the top/right on the bottom card).
Grading Recommendation
High priority for professional authentication only to determine if they are genuine. Due to the extreme market value of this specific card, counterfeit versions (reprints) are incredibly common. Grading is required to establish any real market value.
Card Description
Features a young Wayne Gretzky during his rookie season with the Edmonton Oilers. He is shown in his away blue jersey. The design includes a 'skate' icon with his name and position (center/centre) in yellow/blue and the team name 'OILERS' in a vertical red banner.
Notable Features
Most iconic hockey card ever produced. O-Pee-Chee version is more valuable than the Topps version. Rookie card status verified by lack of prior stats on reverse.
Authentication Notes
CAUTION: These cards exhibit several red flags of high-quality modern reprints or aged counterfeits. The uniform 'cracking' pattern across the ink is rarely seen on original card stock and often indicates a printed image applied to aged cardstock or a low-quality ink transfer. Authentic 1979 OPC cards typically have a 'rough cut' edge; these appear to have smooth, straight-cut edges. Professional in-person inspection of the ink 'rosette' pattern under a jeweler's loupe is required.
Scanned: 2026-04-14T02:23:57.596455