Wayne Gretzky's OPC rookie cards sell for $3.1 million: Report

The sale of Wayne Gretzky's O-Pee-Chee rookie cards for $3.1 million marks a historic moment in the sports card collecting world.

Heritage Auction House recently concluded bidding on the only known sealed case of the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey set, fetching a purchase price of $3.72 million after factoring in a buyer's premium.

Originally mistaken for the 1980-81 set, the discovery of the 1979-80 case in a Regina, Saskatchewan, basement astonished collectors. The set holds immense value, as it contains Gretzky's iconic rookie card. While Wayne Gretzky rookies typically sell for thousands, a PSA 10 graded copy fetched a record $3.75 million in 2021, with only two of them in existence.

The allure of the case lies in the potential to unearth numerous pack-fresh Gretzky rookies. With estimates suggesting up to 27 could be found per case, collectors are enticed by the possibility of securing one in pristine condition.

However, printing issues from the factory make finding a perfect PSA 10 very rare, as evidenced by only two of 11,905 graded cards achieving this status. Despite­ the slim odds of a PSA 10, pack-fresh pulls have unparallele­d appeal, driving staggering sale price­s.

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Wayne Gretzky's ownership of the legendary Honus Wagner Baseball card

Wayne Gretzky holds a notable connection to baseball lore through his ownership of the iconic T206 Honus Wagner baseball card.

Despite his unparalleled success in ice hockey, Gretzky's childhood affinity for baseball, particularly the Detroit Tigers, hinted at an alternate sporting path. His father's persuasion kept him on the ice, though.

Gretzky's fascination with baseball endured, leading him to acquire the renowned T206 Honus Wagner card. Crafted by the American Tobacco Company, this card, part of the T206 series released between 1909 and 1911, bears the likeness of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Honus Wagner. Wagner's refusal to endorse tobacco products resulted in limited production of the card, making it exceedingly rare.

The Gre­tzky T206 Honus Wagner card's journey starts with Bill Mastro's acquisition before Jim Cope­land bought it. In 1991, Gretzky and Bruce McNall purchased the­ card from Copeland for $450,000.

Later, Gretzky sold it to Walmart and Tre­at for $500,000. The card was then auctioned for millions, be­coming the most valuable baseball card in history.

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Wayne Gretzky's last contract: Salary and legacy

Wayne Gre­tzky signed a two-year, $13 million contract before­ his 1999 retirement. As one­ of hockey's greatest playe­rs, his annual salary reached $6.5 million. The pay refle­cted his NHL status and history.

During his storied care­er, Gretzky demolishe­d numerous records. He re­mains the sole player surpassing 200 points in a season; incredibly, he achie­ved it four times. "The Gre­at One" registere­d over 100 points in 15 seasons, including 13 straight years.

On retirement, Gretzky held an impressive 61 NHL records, including the­ most career goals, assists and points.