The most valuable hockey cards tend to feature the most iconic players, have the best stories, and are incredibly hard to get your hands on. If they’re professionally graded, they can fetch hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
We've recently spent some time reviewing the biggest hockey card sales. To do this, we analysed verified sales and auction results from the past several decades, and we’re ready to share what we found with you. Keep reading to see the top five most valuable hockey cards, how we ranked them, and a few useful tips.
If you’ve ever experienced hockey card breaks, you probably know just how enjoyable card collecting can be. It’s also pretty interesting to see how much some of the hobby’s most expensive cards have sold for through verified auctions and private sales.
The table below outlines the five most valuable hockey cards, all of which have been verified through multiple trusted data sources. You’ll also find information about their current estimated value, most recent sales, and card grading. Let’s take a closer look:
| Rank | Card | Highest Sale | Estimated Value | Most recent sale | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC | $3.75 million | $3.5M–$4M+ | Dec 2021 | PSA 10 |
| 2 | 1979-80 Topps Wayne Gretzky RC | $1.29 million | $1M–$1.3M | Dec 2020 | PSA 10 |
| 3 | 2005-06 UD The Cup Alexander Ovechkin Gold Rainbow RPA (#/8) | $381,000 | $300K–$400K | April 2025 | BGS 8 |
| 4 | 1966-67 Topps Bobby Orr RC | $276,000 | $200K–$280K | Feb 2021 | BGS/BVG 10 Pristine |
| 5 | 2015-16 UD The Cup Connor McDavid RPA (#/99) | $228,000 | $180K–$230K | June 2020 | BGS/PSA 9–10 (varies by copy) |
You may have noticed that our top five focuses entirely on NHL cards, but that’s normal given it is the most-watched hockey league in the world. There’s also much more to know about each of these cards and the reasons that they’ve become so valuable over time. Keep reading as we break down the details.
This is widely regarded as the most valuable hockey card on the market right now, with a verified sale of $3,750,000 in late 2021. There’s a fun story behind this one too. Gretzky came into the NHL as one of the brightest young stars, and the card was printed for the Canadian market during his rookie season. This card was produced by O-Pee-Chee, a company that typically used cheaper card stock and cutting equipment than American rivals like Topps.
As a result of the poor production standards, only two copies of the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC card were ever graded a perfect PSA 10. It’s this scarcity and Gretzky’s iconic status that contribute to the card’s high value over time and why it sits at the top of our list of the most valuable hockey cards.
This is the American-market version of the same rookie card, printed by Topps instead of O-Pee-Chee. The image is the same, but the text on the back of the card is in English only, and the card quality is better, making high-grade copies somewhat less rare than the O-Pee-Chee version.
That’s part of why it sells for less than the Canadian version, even though it’s still incredibly valuable. In fact, in 2020, a PSA 10-graded version of the card sold for $1,290,000, marking the first seven-figure hockey trading card sale in history.
This card is part of a limited print run of just eight copies, and it includes both an on-card autograph and a swatch of game-used jersey material. If you’re new to hockey card collecting, this is a pretty typical setup for high-end modern cards. Initially, the card didn’t get much love at all, as the attention of this era was focused on many of Crosby’s rookie cards. But this gradually shifted as Ovechkin’s career progressed to a point where he broke Gretzky’s record for career goals.
Recently, in April 2025, a BGS 8-graded copy of the card sold for a whopping $381,000. It’s a good example of why it can sometimes be a good idea to hold onto lower-value sports card breaks if you think the player has a high ceiling for the future.
This card is by far the oldest on this list, making it incredibly challenging to find a high-grade copy. Back when the card was originally produced, several thousand were released, but finding them in a well-preserved condition today is highly unlikely. As for Orr, he is remembered for changing how the defenseman position was played in hockey and won eight straight Norris Trophies in his career, so there’s a fair amount of historical weight behind the card. It’s this combination of the lack of good-condition cards and Orr’s standing in the sport that drove a $276,000 sale in February 2021.
McDavid was arguably one of the most hyped NHL draft prospects in recent history. This card was limited to 99 numbered copies with an on-card autograph and jersey patch. As McDavid’s career has continued to develop, with multiple scoring titles and MVP seasons, there’s been a rapid increase in the demand for this card. So much so that a copy recently sold for $228,000, reflecting the importance of the league’s biggest players and low print runs for driving the value of hockey cards.
It doesn’t matter whether we’re ranking the most valuable hockey cards or the best online card rips; we always prioritize accuracy. That’s why we’ve used verified auction sales and reliable collector sources during the research stage of this article. This is also an actively managed page with periodic updates, which is important given that values of hockey cards can fluctuate over time.
Professional grading was also a major part of our ranking system, as this can drastically impact the value of any sports card. That’s why you see grades like PSA and BGS appear frequently throughout this guide. But scarcity and historical significance are just as important, with the O-Pee-Chee and Topps listings of Wayne Gretzky RCs as perfect examples.
If you plan on becoming a hockey card collector, there are a few helpful tips and tricks that could be a total game-changer for you. Let’s take a closer look:
If you’re looking for a new hockey card break site to join, our professional reviews are the perfect starting point. We provide unbiased feedback and commentary on the top platforms so you can choose a brand that meets your needs.
A star’s rookie card isn’t a good buy automatically if it’s a common, low-grade copy from a mass-produced set. Instead, you want to check the volume of cards printed and how many are in circulation before assuming value.
Trimmed edges or recolored borders can be hard to spot with the naked eye. That’s why we recommend buying from established auction houses or dealers with strong reputations and return policies.
So there you have it, our list of the top five most expensive hockey cards is in, with the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC taking the top spot. It seems that the value of these cards is largely driven by a combination of scarcity, professional grading, and the player’s significance. But prices can change, especially as the demand for hockey cards fluctuates over time. If you’d like to try ripping some hockey cards of your own, make sure you check out our reviews. You can also find many of our recommended platforms in the banners on this page.
The 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky RC is the most expensive hockey card on record, with a verified sale of $3.75 million in December 2021.
Not always, but grading plays a big role in the sales at the top of our list of valuable hockey cards. That’s because a professional grade confirms the card’s condition, which buyers rely on heavily when paying large amounts of money for a card.
No, they’re typically not a good investment, as prices can fluctuate and it is incredibly difficult to predict where the market will move to in the future.
Both are third-party grading companies that authenticate and grade a card’s condition on a scale of 1 to 10.
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