Wayne Gretzky
Hockey • 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee
Sport & Year
Hockey • 1979
Brand & Set
O-Pee-Chee - 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee
Card Number
#18
Card Type
Rookie Card
Rarity
Base (High Value Rookie)
Parallel Variant & Language
Base • English and French (Bilingual)
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Excellent (EX 5) - Estimated
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $1,200 - $2,500; PSA 5: $2,000 - $3,000; PSA 10: $1,000,000+
Recent Sales
Sotheby's/eBay trends show mid-grade (PSA 5-6) examples consistently selling between $2,500 and $5,500. Lower grades (PSA 1-2) fetch $800+.
Condition Details
Visual inspection shows significant left-to-right centering issues (heavily weighted to the right). The edges appear to have standard O-Pee-Chee 'rough cut' characteristics, but there is noticeable whitening on the corners, particularly the bottom left. The surface appears decent but requires physical inspection for print dots or creases.
Grading Recommendation
Highly Recommended. Despite the centering issues, this is the most iconic hockey card in existence. Authenticators will provide protection against the high volume of counterfeits in the market and maximize its liquid value.
Card Description
Features a young Wayne Gretzky in his Edmonton Oilers away blue jersey. He is shown mid-stride in an action shot with a Washington Capitals player in the background. The card features light blue borders with a yellow circle at the bottom right containing his name and a hockey puck graphic with his position.
Notable Features
Rookie Card designation. Features the O-Pee-Chee 'rough cut' edge. Contains bilingual text 'center / centre' on the front puck graphic.
Authentication Notes
High risk of counterfeiting. Authentic 1979 O-Pee-Chee Gretzkys usually have a distinct 'yellow print dot' on the left shoulder of his jersey and a rough-cut edge. The card stock should be grainy and brownish on the back, not bright white like modern reprints.
Scanned: 2026-04-14T02:10:05.464003