The year was 1979. Back when you bought wax packs of hockey cards along with a piece of really bad bubble gum. Back when most of the people who bought hockey cards were kids, and the cards were more likely to be played with than carefully preserved. Even those rare collectors who understood the potential value of collectible cards turned their collective eyes to baseball. Who knew back then that one of those OPC wax packs somewhere in Canada contained a Wayne Gretzky rookie card which would one day sell at auction for over $94,000?
Back then, Wayne Gretzky was a smallish 18 year old kid on an NHL expansion team. The 46 goals recorded on the back of the hockey card from the '78-79 season were respectable in anyone’s book, but they were scored in the WHA, considered by most to be a second rate professional hockey league. Very few had the foresight to realize that a Wayne Gretzky rookie card pulled from a random pack would ever be worth anything when they hit the market the next fall. Gretzky had tremendous potential--but hadn't accomplished much of anything yet.
It didn't take long for his career to explode, though. Hockey card collectors began tracking down his rookie card when that realm of collecting became red hot in the mid-1980s. When the records began to fall and the Stanley Cup rings began to arrive, even non-hockey fans bought and sold them. Gretzky's rookie card is now an icon from the 80s--like the Michael Jordan 1986-87 Fleer rookie or the 1981 Topps Joe Montana.
While most collectors don’t have $94,000 for a gem mint 10 rookie card, even if it is the Great One, there are many opportunities available to buy Wayne Gretzky rookie cards at a more attainable price. The reason the now famous card, which set the record for the highest price to date for a hockey card, was so valuable is that it had received a perfect score of 10 from Professional Sports Authenticator.
To put this in perspective, Beckett reports that a mere 0.07% of all sports cards graded receive a score of 10, making the odds of any given Wayne Gretzky rookie card being in pristine condition microscopic. Wayne Gretzky rookie cards are highly collectible even when they aren’t in pristine condition and to date, there has only been one Wayne Gretzky rookie card given a grade of 10.
Cards scoring 9 or higher (mint or gem mint) are more readily available in both Topps (American cards) and OPC (Canadian cards). To find the best offers available, check out the links on gretkyrookiecard.com.
No one could have known in 1979 that Wayne Gretzky would become the greatest hockey player ever to lace up the skates. He hadn’t won four Stanley Cups. He hadn’t broken every significant scoring record in the NHL. He hadn’t yet become the greatest goodwill ambassador the sport would ever know.
The value of the Topps and OPC Wayne Gretzky rookie card of all grades is likely to continue rising. If you get the chance to lay your hands on one of these fantastic pieces of hockey history, jump on it. They're one of those 'must have' items that should be on every sports memorabilia collector’s to-do list.
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 Wayne Gretzky Rookie 1 Indianapolis Racers + 1996 UD SP E17 + Brent Gretzky RC $3.24 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 7h 2m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY RC ROOKIE CARD GRADED AUTHENTIC KSA A OILERS $58.41 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 5m Buy It Now for only: $58.41 |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD PSA 7 NEAR MINT OILERS $827.41 Time Remaining: 25d 13h 15m Buy It Now for only: $827.41 |
 1979 80 Topps 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie EX Condition with Crease $128.38 (16 Bids) Time Remaining: 8h 53m |
 Wayne Gretzky OpeeChee Rookie Card 1979 80 PSA 9 oc 18 Mint $2,433.56 Time Remaining: 3d 11h 21m Buy It Now for only: $2,433.56 |
 1977 1979 Sportscaster 77 10 Wayne Gretzky PSA 6 EX MT Rookie Card Rare $125.00 (11 Bids) Time Remaining: 11h 25m |
 1979 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card Topps 18 $229.00 Time Remaining: 27d 3h 42m Buy It Now for only: $229.00 |
 1981 82 Topps Hockey Complete Set + Extra Rookie Cards Gretzky Savard Murphy Box $19.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 12h 28m |
 1979 1980 TOPPS UNOPENED HOCKEY WAX BOX 36 10 CARD PACKS GRETZKY ROOKIE RC $2,995.00 Time Remaining: 29d 13h 40m Buy It Now for only: $2,995.00 |
 1979 1980 Topps Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 18 Hockey Card $30.01 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 6h 54m |
 1979 Topps WAYNE GRETZKY Oilers ROOKIE card 19 Near Mint NM PSA 7 $324.99 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 41m Buy It Now for only: $324.99 |
 Wayne Gretzky 1979 80 Rookie Topps 18 BECKETT BVG BEAUTY MUST SEE $239.00 Time Remaining: 20d 15h 36m Buy It Now for only: $239.00 |
 1979 80 O Pee Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky RC rookie card KSA near mint+ 75 $750.00 Time Remaining: 1d 8h 5m |
 1979 O Pee Chee WAYNE GRETZKY Rookie Edmonton Oilers BGS BVG 8 $1,249.99 Time Remaining: 8d 4h 8m Buy It Now for only: $1,249.99 |
 Wayne Gretzky UD Danbury Mint Rookie Career 2 22kt Gold Cards $12.34 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 10h 10m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD BVG BGS 75 NEAR MINT+ OILERS $827.41 Time Remaining: 21d 14h 46m Buy It Now for only: $827.41 |
 1979 80 Topps Lot of 6 Montreal Canadiens Gretzky Rookie Year Lafleur Shutt $1.95 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 11h 22m |
 1979 80 Topps WAYNE GRETZKY 18 RC Rookie Card PSA Graded 75 NM+ NHL HOFer $550.00 Time Remaining: 21d 17h 26m Buy It Now for only: $550.00 |
 8 Card Hockey Rookie card lot Includes Wayne Gretzky LOOK $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 11h 33m |
 1979 80 OPC O PEE CHEE WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE RC BVG 6 EX MINT 18 GRADED $649.99 Time Remaining: 22d 6h 53m Buy It Now for only: $649.99 |
 Huge Hockey Card lot Gretzky Mario Roy Rookies Stars inserts etc $14.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 11h 34m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD KSA 9 MINT OILERS $1,630.49 Time Remaining: 22d 1h 44m Buy It Now for only: $1,630.49 |
 79 80 WAYNE GRETZKY TOPPS ROOKIE CARD 18 KSA GRADED 7 NEAR MINT EDMONTON OILERS $424.99 Time Remaining: 20d 6h 19m Buy It Now for only: $424.99 |
 1979 Topps hockey WAX PACK PSA 7 Potential 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie $58.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 12h 43m |
 1979 OPC WAYNE GRETZKY RC 18 BCCG 5 O Pee Chee Edmonton Oilers Rookie $250.00 Time Remaining: 2d 15h 27m Buy It Now for only: $250.00 |
 1979 80 Topps 18 Wayne Gretzky RC Rookie Card Could Easily Grade 99+ MntNrMn $600.00 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 40m Buy It Now for only: $1,299.99 |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD BVG BGS 7 NEAR MINT OILERS $730.07 Time Remaining: 21d 14h 45m Buy It Now for only: $730.07 |
 98 99 OPC Chrome Wayne Gretzky Topps Blast from Past RC reprint rookie READ $69.99 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 50m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD KSA 95 NEAR GEM MINT OILERS $3,601.67 Time Remaining: 25d 14h 5m Buy It Now for only: $3,601.67 |
 1979 1980 O Pee Chee Wayne Gretzky 18 Hockey Card $99.00 Time Remaining: 2d 9h 3m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY RC ROOKIE CARD KSA 3 VG OILERS $175.22 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 9m Buy It Now for only: $175.22 |
 24 Wrappers from 1979 80 Topps Hockey Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card Year Issue $24.00 Time Remaining: 26d 11h 38m Buy It Now for only: $24.00 |
 2008 2009 OPC series one complete set rookies legends giroux lemieux roy gretzky $1.25 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 10h 43m |
 1979 80 TOPPS WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE BVG 65 EX MT+ BEAUTIFUL CARD OF THE GREAT 1 $295.00 Time Remaining: 27d 9h 35m Buy It Now for only: $295.00 |
 1979 1980 Topps Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers ROOKIE RC CARD 18 PSA EX MT 6 $167.50 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 11h 54m |
 1979 80 WAYNE GRETZKY OPC O PEE CHEE RC 18 BGS BVG 9 MINT CENTERED ROOKIE $4,950.00 Time Remaining: 17d 3h 2m Buy It Now for only: $4,950.00 |
 1979 Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie O Pee Chee 5 Hockey Card LOT PSA KSA GRADED $369.99 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 6m Buy It Now for only: $484.99 |
 1979 80 WAYNE GRETZKY TOPPS ROOKIE RC BVG BGS 8 NM MT BEAUTY $700.00 Time Remaining: 25d 12h 46m Buy It Now for only: $700.00 |
 HUGE 88 CARD NHL HOCKEY AUTO JERSEY PATCH ROOKIE INSERT LOT WAYNE GRETZKY $100.00 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 10m |
 1979 80 O Pee Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card SGC 92 NM MT+ $2,450.00 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 57m Buy It Now for only: $2,450.00 |
 10 11 OPC MARQUEE ROOKIE AND LEGEND SP LOT 21 DIFFERENT GRETZKY BOSSY LARSSON $9.99 Time Remaining: 3h 31m |
 1979 O PEE CHEE 18 WAYNE GRETZKY Rookie Card PSA NM 7 $1,199.99 Time Remaining: 26d 7h 33m Buy It Now for only: $1,199.99 |
 1979 O Pee Chee WAYNE GRETZKY Rookie Edmonton Oilers KSA 95 $3,649.99 Time Remaining: 8d 4h 10m Buy It Now for only: $3,649.99 |
 1979 1980 Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie in Near Mint condition very nice shape $280.00 Time Remaining: 7h 47m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD KSA 3 VG OILERS $175.22 Time Remaining: 27d 5h 4m Buy It Now for only: $175.22 |
 Wayne Gretzky O Pee Chee rookie card BVG Beckett 85 $1,526.24 (32 Bids) Time Remaining: 5d 5h 36m |
 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE OPC 1979 18 REPRINT SAME COLOR THAT THE ORIGINAL CARD $14.99 Time Remaining: 29d 11h 25m Buy It Now for only: $14.99 |
 Wayne Gretzky Topps rookie card BVG Beckett 80 $222.50 (12 Bids) Time Remaining: 5d 5h 43m |
 1979 80 O Pee Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card SGC 88 NM MT $1,895.00 Time Remaining: 9d 13h 28m Buy It Now for only: $1,895.00 |
 SIDNEY CROSBY HAT TRICK WAYNE GRETZKY PSA ROOKIE CARDS YOUNG GUNS PENS OILERS $529.00 Time Remaining: 5d 12h 14m |
 1979 O Pee Chee WAYNE GRETZKY Rookie Edmonton Oilers KSA 95 $3,649.99 Time Remaining: 8d 4h 13m Buy It Now for only: $3,649.99 |
 1979 80 TOPPS PSA 5 EX 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie RC GRADED $340.65 Time Remaining: 28d 10h 21m Buy It Now for only: $340.65 |
 LOT OF 14 HOCKEY CARDS GRETZKY IGINLA CROSBY BELFOUR AND MORE SOME ROOKIE $0.99 Time Remaining: 5d 15h 4m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY RC ROOKIE CARD KSA 65 EX NM+ OILERS $447.78 Time Remaining: 24d 17h 13m Buy It Now for only: $447.78 |
 50 Hockey cards STARS CROSBYGRETZKYYZERMANand more $0.99 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 26m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
 1979 O PEE CHEE 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie PSA 5 $399.00 Time Remaining: 27d 15h 44m Buy It Now for only: $399.00 |
 1981 82 Topps hockey WAYNE GRETZKY 3rd year card $0.99 Time Remaining: 11h 26m |
 1979 80 WAYNE GRETZKY O PEE CHEE 18 ROOKIE CARD GRADED 5 SGC EX $400.00 Time Remaining: 25d 11h 7m Buy It Now for only: $400.00 |
 1978 79 78 79 Indianapolis Racers Wayne Gretzky Pre ROOKIE card RC 1 RARE $11.00 Time Remaining: 2d 2h 6m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY RC ROOKIE CARD KSA 5 EXCELLENT OILERS $340.70 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 18m Buy It Now for only: $340.70 |
 1979 80 O PEE CHEE UNMARKED CHECKLIST 346 Gretzky Rookie Year $1.49 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 6d 3h 55m |
 1979 80 Oilers Postcards Wayne Gretzky RC PSA 6 Rookie HoF Postcard $225.00 Time Remaining: 4d 52m Buy It Now for only: $225.00 |
 1X 1979 80 Topps Hockey WAX PACK From a Box Bulk lot available Gretzky RC Rookie $99.99 Time Remaining: 29d 9h 21m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 |
 1979 80 Topps Wayne Gretzky 18 Rookie Card $15.50 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 5h 33m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD KSA 85 NMM+ OILERS $1,119.44 Time Remaining: 14d 8h 17m Buy It Now for only: $1,119.44 |
 Autographed Wayne Gretzky 1979 1980 NHL Rookie Season 16 x 20 Framed Photo $299.00 Time Remaining: 6d 5h 52m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD KSA 8 NMM OILERS $851.75 Time Remaining: 11d 4h 46m Buy It Now for only: $851.75 |
 Lot of 120 Hockey Star and RC Rookie Cards Lemieux Gretzky Jagr Brodeur Roy $0.99 Time Remaining: 6d 10h 30m |
 380 + 1979 1980 TOPPS HOCKEY CARD LOT GORDIE HOWE NO GRETZKY ROOKIE RC $195.00 Time Remaining: 20d 5h 32m Buy It Now for only: $195.00 |
 wayne gretzky rookie card $600.00 Time Remaining: 6d 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $900.00 |
 79 80 TOPPS WAYNE GRETZKY KSA GRADED VG3 ROOKIE CARD 18 $174.99 Time Remaining: 10d 19h 59m Buy It Now for only: $174.99 |
 WAYNE GRETZKY BGS BVG 9 MINT 1979 80 79 80 OPC O Pee Chee Rookie Card RC $5,500.00 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 3m Buy It Now for only: $5,500.00 |
 1979 80 Topps Wayne Gretzky Rookie RC Rookie 18 BVG 6 NM+ Beckett HOF BGS HOT $152.50 (8 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 11h 33m |
 1979 Topps 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie PSA 6 $269.00 Time Remaining: 27d 15h 55m Buy It Now for only: $269.00 |
 HI END 1979 Topps 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie NM MINT PSA 8 NQHOFLooks Nicer $202.50 (21 Bids) Time Remaining: 6d 13h 39m |
 1979 O Pee Chee WAYNE GRETZKY Rookie Edmonton Oilers BGS BVG 85 $2,299.99 Time Remaining: 8d 4h 4m Buy It Now for only: $2,299.99 |
 1979 80 TOPPS NHL HOCKEY CARD WAX PACK WRAPPER WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE 79 80 NICE $0.29 Time Remaining: 4d 17h 33m |
 1979 80 OPC 18 WAYNE GRETZKY RC ROOKIE CARD KSA 5 EXCELLENT OILERS $321.23 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 16m Buy It Now for only: $321.23 |
 1979 80 Topps Hockey 2 packs Gretzky rookie year $60.00 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 3m Buy It Now for only: $150.00 |
 1979 80 O Pee Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Graded 8 NMM $1,049.99 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 44m Buy It Now for only: $1,049.99 |
 LOT OF 100 Wayne Gretzky CardsOilersBluesKingsRangers $16.99 Time Remaining: 4d 1h 48m |
 1979 80 O Pee Chee 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card SGC 92 NM MT+ $2,350.00 Time Remaining: 23d 14h 4m Buy It Now for only: $2,350.00 |
 1979 1980 Topps Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 18 Hockey Rookie Card $800.00 Time Remaining: 25d 8h 54m Buy It Now for only: $800.00 |
 1979 OPC Hockey 18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card PSA 2 O Pee Chee $209.99 Time Remaining: 4d 1h 52m |
 1979 O Pee Chee WAYNE GRETZKY 18 Rookie KSA 6 Excellent Mint RC OPC $495.00 Time Remaining: 21d 7h 17m Buy It Now for only: $495.00 |
1980 O Pee Chee Wayne Gretzky 1182 Hockey Card $5.95 Time Remaining: 4d 2h 45m Buy It Now for only: $19.95 |
 79 80 Wayne Gretzky OPC AUTHENTIC Rookie RC 18 Edmonton Oilers O Pee Chee WOW $999.99 Time Remaining: 9d 8h 1m Buy It Now for only: $999.99 |
 GRETZKY LOT 1991 92 O PEE CHEE 2 BOXES MINT PREMIER CARDS+Extras NHL OPC 91 1992 $6.99 Time Remaining: 2h 7m |
 1979 O PEE CHEE WAX PACK PSA 9 1ST PRINT from Wayne Gretzkys rookie year $599.00 Time Remaining: 27d 15h 44m Buy It Now for only: $599.00 |
 Wayne Gretzky Sidney Crosby lot Not rookie $0.99 Time Remaining: 3h |
 1979 80 Oilers Postcards Wayne Gretzky RC PSA 85 Rookie HoF Postcard $455.00 Time Remaining: 6d 1h 6m Buy It Now for only: $455.00 |
 1979 80 OPC HOCKEY SET 1 396 NO GRETZKY ROOKIE 395 CARDS NEAR MINT $486.71 Time Remaining: 14d 16h 45m Buy It Now for only: $486.71 |
 Wayne Gretzky BD Rookie Gems Quad + BONUS $12.00 Time Remaining: 3h 34m |
 1979 1980 Wayne Gretzky O Pee Chee Rookie Card RC BVG 9 BGS OPC $4,500.00 Time Remaining: 17d 7h 56m Buy It Now for only: $4,500.00 |
 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE $20.00 Time Remaining: 4h 59m |
 1979 80 O PEE CHEE 18 WAYNE GRETZKY ROOKIE CARD RC KSA 6 $499.00 Time Remaining: 8d 10h 14m Buy It Now for only: $499.00 |
 wayne gretzky rookie cards $7.99 Time Remaining: 5h 28m |
 1979 O Pee Chee OPC WAYNE GRETZKY 18 Rookie Reprint GMA 10 GEM MT $24.99 Time Remaining: 10d 13h 21m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1982 Wayne Gretzky rookie red rooster Rare lot of 2 Mint $19.99 Time Remaining: 7h 36m Buy It Now for only: $30.00 |
 THE CUP WAYNE GRETZKY LEMIEUX HOWE AUTO PATCH ROOKIE CROSBY TRIBUTE 1 1 CARD $9,999.99 Time Remaining: 6d 1h 38m Buy It Now for only: $9,999.99 |