Gretzky rookie cards could be hiding in mystery collection put up for auction by Sask. family
CBC
A Saskatchewan family has discovered what some are calling the Holy Grail of sports collectibles.
It's a large case filled with thousands of unopened O-Pee-Chee brand cards, all from 1979 — Wayne Gretzky's rookie year. The family put the box up for auction this week, and bidding has already topped $1.125 million.
Jason Simonds of U.S.-based Heritage Auctions said his jaw dropped when the family — who wants to remain anonymous — contacted him.
"Oh it was incredible. I think the exact words I said and texted back to him was, 'Oh my God,'" Simonds said.
"No one had ever seen one of these cases before. No one has even heard of one or pictured one before. I was floored."
The large, white case contains more than a dozen smaller boxes of cards. No one knows exactly how many Gretzky cards could be in there. The packs remain closed.
But Simonds says their calculations led to an estimate of around 25 to 27 Gretzky cards potentially held in the case.
Simonds said his company arranged for the box to be transported by private guard to the Regina airport, then to Toronto and on to Heritage's headquarters in Dallas. Simonds flew from his base in New York City just to inspect the item.
WATCH | Unboxing of a set collector's case of O-Pee-Chee hockey cards from year Wayne Gretzky's rookie card was issued:
The large box was opened and the authenticity verified. The smaller boxes were sealed in vacuum plastic and then repacked for auction.
The value of Gretzky rookie cards varies wildly. Some in poor condition may be worth a few hundred dollars, but those in mint condition have often sold for more than $200,000 each. In 2021, Heritage Auctions sold one Gretzky rookie card for a record $3.75 million.
Fake cards, particularly the Gretzky rookie, are proliferating. Just like fine art, authentication is key, Simonds said. The fact the box is unopened and never changed hands until now is part of the reason it's so valuable, he said.
Many factors affect a card's value, said Ryan Haynee of Regina's Queen City Sports Cards.
Aside from the obvious wear and tear inflicted on cards put in bicycle spokes, trading with friends or chewing gum marks, they could be damaged by humidity over time.
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