PSA 10 1979-80 Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card Sells for $200,000 Share:



By Ryan Cracknell | Hobby Editor

It has been a big month for Wayne Gretzky rookie cards. First, the lone PSA 10 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie went for $465,000 during Goldin Auctions’ 2016 Premium Live Auction at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City. Now a PSA 10 Topps Wayne Gretzky rookie reached $200,976 in Memory Lane Inc’s Summer Vintage Rarities 2016 sale.

The card is just one of two copies of the card to achieve Gem-Mint 10 status from PSA. The blue borders make it extremely tough on edges and corners. Chipping is common for 1979-80 Topps Hockey cards, which helps explain why copies in top condition are so tough to come by.

The card started at $7,500 before 175 bids sent it past the $200,000 mark.

The Topps Wayne Gretzky rookie card isn’t as valuable as same-condition O-Pee-Chee versions, but it’s still in an elite class.

This sale is another example of the hot market for top-condition copies of blue chip cards. It has been happening for a while, particularly with vintage baseball, but the trickle down is being felt in other sports. The relatively young age of the Gretzky rookies make this and the O-Pee-Chee sale even more impressive. In January, 2014, a BGS 9.5 copy of the card sold for $22,000 on eBay.

Comments? Questions? Contact Ryan Cracknell on Twitter @tradercracks.