You may have recently read about the family in Saskatchewan who announced that they are auctioning off a perfectly sealed, never before opened, full carton of O-Pee-Chee hockey cards representing the 1979-1980 NHL hockey players. The video documenting the story is enjoyable to watch.

 

Heritage Auctions, based in Chicago, IL will be handling the auction and are suggesting that this collection could be worth up to USD $3.5 million. They are referring to this as the holy grail of card collections. The carton contains 16 separate boxes each with 48 packages inside and each of those with 14 player cards and of course the chalky, pink stick of gum under the cards (presumably still gum and not dust).

 

More holier than that is the potential for one or more rookie Wayne Gretzky cards inside. It is estimated that there may be 25-30 cards depicting the Great One, although this will remain unknown to bidders as each of 16 boxes and the carton have since been properly sealed shut by the auction house. Interesting to note that the most recent rookie Gretzky card sold for USD$3.75 million in 2021 at Heritage Auctions.

 

A few questions naturally arise,

• How do you consider a bid on this carton of hockey cards without knowing what is inside? In other words, what value is placed on the potential for one or more cards showing 99 in action on the front and some stats ont the back?
• Will the final bidder actually open up the carton, the boxes and each package to determine what is inside? The auction house is suggesting that the value is highest in not opening it. Of course, if opening it, will the gum still resemble gum?
• How much does the SK family stand to earn on this investment? Considering some math and assumptions...
  • 16 boxes * 48 packs * $0.20 per pack = $153.60 was the original cost (not including taxes or foreign exchange)
  • After 45 years, assuming $3.5 million final sale, this equates to a 25.0% average annual return. Awfully good.
• Does this diminish further the already diminished value of my rookie Gretzky card? Already diminished because as I was emulating my father who was an accountant, I applied a thin line of blue ink through the item number on the back of this card and all of the others in the series, corresponding with the checklist issued for each season. Too organized, perhaps?

It's a great Canadian story, and exciting for the family who applied patience and fortitude in holding onto this investment.

 

If you are the lucky bidder and receive the carton of cards at the hammer, lets get together and ride around the neighbourhood with some of the various other cards from the box clapping in the spokes of our wheels,