This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/10/2017
Over the past two years, the 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card has been part of a wave of iconic pasteboards that has increased exponentially in demand, and price. And of all those cards that have enjoyed the bull market, there probably isn't another more deserving. While many hockey aficionados compare his greatness to Orr and Howe, it's probably more fitting to size "The Great One" up against Babe Ruth and Wilt Chamberlain; athletes that rose to become bigger than the sport they dominated. But unlike Ruth and Chamberlain, Gretzky was not gifted with a prototypical physique that allowed him every possible advantage. At six feet tall and just under 200 lbs., Gretzky's size was rather ordinary for the NHL. Yet his talent for scoring was unprecedented, the likes of which will likely never be seen again. Featured is an esteemed pasteboard that would serve as the headliner to virtually any world-class hockey collection, one of the less than 2% of all submissions that have earned a grade of PSA 9.
A teal blue border covers this near centered perfectly card from tip to tip with no visible evidence of chipping, two traits that are much more likely to fall by the wayside on the tougher OPC version as compared to his Topps debut card. Each of the four corners borders on being absolutely GEM MINT while surface is the epitome of virtual perfection, highlighted by the synergy of a smooth surface and a generous presence of original gloss. The reverse is absolutely spot-on with the OPC white stock basking in the glow of the blue skate that offers his amazing first year stats. In short, this Gretzky O-Pee-Chee rookie card rivals any that we've offered, including an SGC 98 GEM MINT example that appeared in a past auction. We can not recommend this masterpiece strongly enough!