Wayne Gretzky
Hockey • 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Sport & Year
Hockey • 1979
Brand & Set
O-Pee-Chee - 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Card Number
#18
Card Type
Rookie Card
Rarity
Base Rookie Card
Parallel Variant & Language
Base (Blue Border Reverse) • English / French (Bilingual)
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Good (G 2) to Very Good (VG 3)
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $800 - $1,500; Graded PSA 2-3: $1,200 - $1,800. (Note: Value depends heavily on verifying authenticity)
Recent Sales
PSA 2 copies have recently sold between $1,100 and $1,400 on eBay and Heritage. PSA 3 copies typically range from $1,800 to $2,400.
Condition Details
Visible surface wear and light staining/soiling across the face of the card. Corners appear rounded. Significant centering shift towards the right and bottom edges. Minor edge chipping characteristic of O-Pee-Chee rough cuts but shows additional post-factory wear.
Grading Recommendation
Highly Recommended. Even in lower grades, an authentic 1979 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky RC is the 'Holy Grail' of modern hockey cards. Authentication is crucial as this is one of the most counterfeited cards in history.
Card Description
Features Wayne Gretzky in his rookie Edmonton Oilers home jersey. He is shown in a dynamic skating pose holding his stick. The design includes a signature O-Pee-Chee 'hockey puck' graphic in the corner containing his name and position, alongside a red 'Oilers' banner.
Notable Features
Widely considered the most important hockey card ever produced. Features the 'RC' designation for the NHL's all-time leading scorer. The O-Pee-Chee version is more desirable than the Topps version due to rarity and the rough-cut edges.
Authentication Notes
Significant caution required: This card is frequently faked. One key marker is the 'yellow dot' on the shoulder of the player behind Gretzky and the blue lines on the back. The print snow/graininess on this specific copy warrants professional hands-on inspection to ensure it is not a high-quality reprint.
Scanned: 2026-04-13T07:38:06.596830