The Daily: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC

The Card: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC #18

100 years ago today, the NHL played its first games. Over all those thousands of games since have created a rich history for the sport. And the greatest player of all-time?

Of course there’ll be some debate, but it’s hard to argue against Wayne Gretzky. Not only does he hold plenty of records like all-time goals, assists and points, but he helped shaped the modern NHL and its acceptance in the United States.

Equally tough to argue is the iconic status of the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card. When it comes to hockey cards, this is the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. Talk to someone who doesn’t collect hockey cards and one of their first questions is likely to be, “What’s a Gretzky Rookie worth these days?”

It can be a lot. Even mid-grade Gretzky Rookies fetch hundreds, not bad for a card made on the cusp of the 1980s.

The Daily highlights a key player or personality in the world of sports or collecting from the past 24 hours along with one of their key cards.