Gordie Howe still had 101 NHL goals in him–and 174 in the WHA–when he pushed the puck past Les Binkley of Pittsburgh in December of 1968 for his 700th career goal.
His career wouldn’t end until the dawn of the 1980s.
That 700th goal was a first for hockey. Recognizing the milestone, the 
Detroit Red Wings saved the puck and put a gold band around it. The signatures of teammates were engraved into the side. Howe already had plenty of awards at home, though.
He gave the puck to long-time friends and Wings fans John and Mary Barnes, who rarely missed a game at Olympia Stadium.
42 seasons later, the puck is in the hands of that couple’s nephew. Allen Moore of Livonia, Mich., inherited the historic piece of NHL memorabilia, which is likely worth well into five figures. The puck Wayne Gretzky shot to pass Howe on the all-time list, sold recently for $57,419.
Moore and his wife aren’t looking to see what they can get for it, though, according to this interesting piece in the local paper.
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