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 3 VG (PWCC-PQ)
26 bids - Price: $2,277.00 - Watchers: 112
Item #142867573706
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1954 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #8 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
26 bids - Price: $890.00 - Watchers: 49
Item #142867575373
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1954 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #8 PSA 6.5 EXMT+ (PWCC)
32 bids - Price: $535.88 - Watchers: 34
Item #142867575370
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1958 Topps Hockey Low-Mid Grd Nr COMPLETE SET Gordie Howe Sawchuk Pilote (PWCC)
12 bids - Price: $282.00 - Watchers: 31
Item #142867582846
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1999 SP Authentic Sign Of The Times Gold Gordie Howe AUTO /25 BGS 9 MINT (PWCC)
19 bids - Price: $100.00 - Watchers: 27
Item #401568030024
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1961 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #20 PSA 9 MINT (PWCC)
11 bids - Price: $798.00 - Watchers: 24
Item #142867589908
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1958-59 Topps #8 Gordie Howe near mint
11 bids - Price: $42.99 - Watchers: 19
Item #312193579432
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1966 Topps USA Test Hockey Gordie Howe #23 PSA 5 EX (PWCC)
14 bids - Price: $89.00 - Watchers: 18
Item #352405188910
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1959 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #63 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
8 bids - Price: $246.50 - Watchers: 17
Item #142867585402
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1963 York White Backs Hockey Gordie Howe #45 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
8 bids - Price: $10.50 - Watchers: 17
Item #142867598996
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1960-61 Parkhurst #20 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings Card. LOOK! BV $300
15 bids - Price: $14.47 - Watchers: 16
Item #332723079865
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1963 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #55 BVG 8.5 NM-MT+ (PWCC)
10 bids - Price: $202.50 - Watchers: 16
Item #401567694396
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13-14 PANINI PLAYBOOK FABRICS JSY GORDIE HOWE 96/99
5 bids - Price: $5.50 - Watchers: 15
Item #312191811792
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1958 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #8 PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
14 bids - Price: $406.00 - Watchers: 15
Item #352405175926
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1962 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #30 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
12 bids - Price: $89.00 - Watchers: 15
Item #352405182030
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1971 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Gordie Howe RETIREMENT SPECIAL #262 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
9 bids - Price: $12.50 - Watchers: 15
Item #142868889539
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1962 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #31 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC)
8 bids - Price: $62.92 - Watchers: 13
Item #352405182034
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1964 Eaton's Sports Adviser Hockey Gordie Howe STANDING BVG 8.5 NM-MT+ (PWCC)
2 bids - Price: $1.25 - Watchers: 13
Item #352405187353
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1966-67 Topps #109 Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings Hockey Card. $250 Book Value.
16 bids - Price: $28.18 - Watchers: 12
Item #332723051261
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1964 Eaton's Sports Adviser Hockey Gordie Howe ACTION POSE PSA 6 EXMT (PWCC)
2 bids - Price: $1.09 - Watchers: 12
Item #142867598999
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1979 Topps Hockey Gordie Howe #175 BVG 8.5 NM-MT+ (PWCC)
4 bids - Price: $3.25 - Watchers: 12
Item #352405800330
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Gordie Howe 1965 Topps (#108) PSA 7 MINT Detroit Red Wings
8 bids - Price: $61.01 - Watchers: 11
Item #372365560982
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1969-70 O-Pee-Chee #61 Gordie Howe
8 bids - Price: $19.90 - Watchers: 11
Item #323354771274
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1962 Parkhurst Gordie Howe #31 PSA 5 EX (PWCC)
3 bids - Price: $5.50 - Watchers: 11
Item #352405182032
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1963 Toronto Star Hockey Gordie Howe PSA 7 NRMT (PWCC)
2 bids - Price: $1.04 - Watchers: 11
Item #142867598995
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1964 Eaton's Sports Adviser Hockey Gordie Howe ACTION POSE PSA 4 VGEX (PWCC)
2 bids - Price: $1.09 - Watchers: 11
Item #352405187189
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1959-60 Topps #63 Gordie Howe near mint
7 bids - Price: $36.00 - Watchers: 11
Item #312193564401
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1970-71 O-Pee-Chee Deckle Edge #18 Gordie Howe
5 bids - Price: $11.81 - Watchers: 10
Item #192599839570
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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
Vintage Buy of the Week: Hockey Card Bonanza
1967-68 Topps Hockey Set Kept to Original 6
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