Early Gretzky Oilers Jersey Should Fetch Six Figures

March 12, 2013 By Editor

SCP Auctions will offer what it believes is the finest known early game-worn Wayne Gretzky jersey in existence when it opens its next major catalog auction in April.

The jersey dates from the 1980-81 season, Gretzky’s second with the Edmonton Oilers. It shows significant game use and could sell for more than $100,000 according to SCP Auctions’ President David Kohler. That would seem almost a given after a February auction conducted by Heritage saw a 1991-92 Gretzky game-used jersey from his time with the Los Angeles Kings bring $77,675 including the buyer’s premium. Last May, a 1989-90 Kings Gretzky gamer brought $65,048 via Grey Flannel Auctions.

The auction company tells Sports Collectors Daily that the #99 blue and orange sweater has provenance and physical attributes that have been verified by several experts in the field of hockey memorabilia including documentation from MeiGray, Classic Auctions, Milt Byron and Brad Foote among others.

We’re told jersey has spent the last dozen years in an advanced private collection.

In the 1980-81 season, Gretzky won the first of seven straight Art Ross Trophies by scoring what was then a record 164 points, blowing past both Bobby Orr's record for assists in a season and the season points mark of 152 set by Phil Esposito. In the first game of the 1981 playoffs against Montreal, Gretzky racked up five assists to set a single-game NHL post-season record.