1984 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky (All-Star Card) PSA 10: A Rare Find For Collectors
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When it comes to vintage hockey cards and collectibles, there’s no doubt that many collectors appreciate the fact that The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, is one of the most sought-after names by hockey hobbyists. With that said, and among his vast catalog of potential collectibles, one card, his 1984 O-Pee-Chee All-Star (Card No. 208) card graded PSA 10 stands out as a proverbial giant among of men.
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While this card is several years removed from being considered a rookie card, it’s still a cornerstone for serious collectors due to a combination of its scarcity (there’s only 44 that are graded PSA 10), its eye-popping design (fresh blue & orange color scheme), and the representation of Gretzky at the peak of his offensive dominance (he would average 177 points in his first four seasons in the NHL).
One thing collector’s need to understand is that cards from the early 1980’s were still scattered with production flaws and the 1984 O-Pee-Chee hockey set was no exception. When it came to the stock of these cards, they were printed up in Canada and therefore printed on a rougher stock than that of their American counterparts.
The edges of the cards were wire-cut, which caused them to fray much easier. The centering of the cards was a complete nightmare, and off-centered cards were more common than not. Lastly, printing issues such as ink blots, ink dots, and ink runs ran rampant throughout the entire print run. As a result of the plethora of flaws from all angles, PSA 10s, even for the most common of cards are incredibly rare.
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For collectors that may be in the market for such a card here’s what they can expect to spend. From a pricing perspective you can find PSA 7s selling at about $14-$20 and PSA 8s selling for roughly $22-$40, but for those of you in the market for higher graded cards such as PSA 9s and PSA 10s you can expect to spend anywhere from $80-$100 for a PSA 9 and $650-$1100 for a PSA 10.
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When it comes to vintage hockey cards there’s no doubt that card condition reigns supreme and scarcity drives a continued demand for some of the game’s top players. With that said, Wayne Gretzky’s 1984 O-Pee-Chee All-Star (Card No. 208) graded PSA 10 is not just a key card of the era, but rather a cornerstone for those collections that appreciate the contributions by some of the greatest to ever step onto the ice.
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.
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