The sports world lost another great one Friday with the death of ‘Mr. Hockey’ at age 88. The Gordie Howe rookie card from the 1951-52 Parkhurst set is one of the most important ever made and represents the beginning of a career that began in 1946 and didn’t end until 1980.
Howe appeared on Topps’ first hockey set in 1954-55 and was still active when the company produced its 1979-80 set that featured Wayne Gretzky.
Howe’s rookie card can fetch thousands of dollars in higher grade but lower grade examples can still be obtained for $1,000-$2,000, making it one of the more attainable cards of any 20th century sports legend. His second card, in 1952-53 is a less expensive option that still captures him in the early stages of his career.
The record price for a Howe rookie card was set in 2015 when an SGC 96 (mint) example sold for more than $29,000. Few high-grade examples exist and they don’t come to market very often. Prices for PSA 8 (nm/mt) examples have doubled over the past decade. The last sale was $17,101 recorded in 2015.
Until his health made it difficult, Howe signed thousands of cards for modern era trading card products, some also featuring other icons like Wayne Gretzky when both were under contract to Upper Deck. The total number of different Gordie Howe hockey cards numbers over 3,000 according to Beckett. Many of the autographs and signed relic cards from the last 20 years are among the most sought after cards in certain products.
For a look at the current ‘most watched’ Gordie Howe cards on eBay, see the live list below.
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1951 Parkhurst Gordie Howe ROOKIE RC #66 PSA 1 PR (PWCC)
26 bids - Price: $630.00 - Watchers: 64
Item #352166388069
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1951 Parkhurst Gordie Howe ROOKIE RC #66 SGC 4/50 VGEX (PWCC-HE)
9 bids - Price: $2,500.00 - Watchers: 55
Item #401405499447
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1953 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #50 PSA 6 EXMT (PWCC)
22 bids - Price: $259.00 - Watchers: 27
Item #352166388897
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1953 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #50 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
16 bids - Price: $414.00 - Watchers: 27
Item #352166388899
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2011-12 UD PARKHURST SIGNATURES WIRE PHOTO DUAL AUTO GORDIE HOWE JOHNNY BOWER
5 bids - Price: $100.00 - Watchers: 23
Item #362107309644
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2014 In The Game Used Triple Wayne Gretzky Gordie Howe Lemieux PATCH 1/1 (PWCC)
8 bids - Price: $47.00 - Watchers: 21
Item #401406706576
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1968 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Gordie Howe #29 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
11 bids - Price: $46.09 - Watchers: 18
Item #352166402847
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1954 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #41 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
22 bids - Price: $280.00 - Watchers: 17
Item #401405500279
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1958 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #8, VGEX (PWCC)
6 bids - Price: $22.50 - Watchers: 17
Item #142508697626
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1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Set Break #215 Gordie Howe All-Star NR-MINT L05343
9 bids - Price: $14.50 - Watchers: 16
Item #382226757451
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1957 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #42 PSA 4.5 VGEX+ (PWCC)
19 bids - Price: $140.00 - Watchers: 16
Item #142508695807
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1957 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #42 SGC 8.5/92 NM-MT+ (PWCC)
9 bids - Price: $500.00 - Watchers: 16
Item #142508695915
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1966 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #109 PSA 7.5 NRMT+ (PWCC)
13 bids - Price: $182.59 - Watchers: 16
Item #401405507819
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1953 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #50 PSA 2 GD (PWCC)
7 bids - Price: $51.00 - Watchers: 15
Item #142508694037
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1964 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #89 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
11 bids - Price: $222.50 - Watchers: 14
Item #352166401275
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GORDIE HOWE 1993 PARKHURST REPRINT AUTOGRAPH PSA/DNA #PR-33 AUTO RED WINGS
6 bids - Price: $31.00 - Watchers: 13
Item #182765878366
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OPEECHEE - Gordie Howe #9 - All Star First Team 1969-70 Autographed Card PSA/DNA
4 bids - Price: $22.50 - Watchers: 13
Item #202057330819
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1954 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #41 PSA 4 VGEX (PWCC)
6 bids - Price: $38.37 - Watchers: 13
Item #401405500278
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1970 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #29 PSA 9 MINT (PWCC)
8 bids - Price: $44.00 - Watchers: 13
Item #401405512503
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2011-12 UD PARKHURST SIGNATURES AUTO GORDIE HOWE RARE GROUP C RED WINGS
4 bids - Price: $51.00 - Watchers: 13
Item #253165352304
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1959 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe IN ACTION #48 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
7 bids - Price: $19.50 - Watchers: 12
Item #352166396842
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1963 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #55 PSA 9 MINT (PWCC)
15 bids - Price: $405.00 - Watchers: 12
Item #401405506112
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1969-70 O-PEE-CHEE OPC 193A Gordie Howe Beckett BVG 5.5 Excellent BL1614
7 bids - Price: $14.28 - Watchers: 11
Item #352166042011
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1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Set Break #175 Gordie Howe EX-EXMINT L05344
5 bids - Price: $2.50 - Watchers: 11
Item #132328484155
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1961 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #20 PSA 7.5 NRMT+ (PWCC)
10 bids - Price: $74.00 - Watchers: 11
Item #352166397345
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1999-00 UD Ovartion Center Stage Wayne GRETZKY/Gordie HOWE BV$60
9 bids - Price: $7.75 - Watchers: 10
Item #202058022038
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1967-68 Topps #43 Gordie Howe
2 bids - Price: $8.57 - Watchers: 10
Item #222649801314
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1964 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #89 PSA 6 EXMT (PWCC)
16 bids - Price: $200.00 - Watchers: 10
Item #352166401273
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1967-68 Topps Set Break #131 Gordie Howe POOR-GOOD L05346
3 bids - Price: $4.75 - Watchers: 9
Item #311959683552
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1970's Topps Hockey Card Lot Bobby Orr Gordie Howe Gretzky Park Bossy And MORE!
5 bids - Price: $5.05 - Watchers: 9
Item #152706910012
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Related Stories:
Top 10 Hockey Rookie Cards of the 1950s
Celebrate Hockey’s Return With 10 Great Cards
Topps Made History with 1954-55 Hockey Set Despite MIA Canadian Teams
1955-56 Parkhurst Hockey Set Shouldn’t Be Forgotten
1952-53 Parkhurst Hockey Set Included Better Quality; Wild Wrapper
1953-54 Parkhurst Hockey Set Had Top Rookies; Errors, Too
1957-58 Topps Hockey Set Marked Company’s Return to NHL Cards
Bobby Orr Cards Still a Magnet for Collectors
Super Size Me: 1975-76 Topps Hockey Set Matched Hoops Expansion
Great Story Behind the Rookie Card of the NHL’s First Draft Pick
