In the modern world of hockey card collecting, the appeal of retired players within new releases practically ensures that many of the game's greatest legends will be discovered by new generations of hobbyists. However, there was a time where retirement often meant that a last card was exactly that, and there are plenty from Parkhurst, Topps, and O-Pee-Chee that deserve a second … [Read more...]
1954-55 Parkhurst: Preparing For Battle
The hockey card world was turned upside down in the mid-1950s. Canadian kids had a difficult choice to make as they could check out the new competition from Topps or stick with what they already liked with the 1954-55 Parkhurst collection. 1954-55 Parkhurst was the last set to feature all of the Original Six together in one offering. Topps made deals with the teams … [Read more...]
1958-59 Parkhurst Highlights Hockey’s Greatest Rivalry
If a kid in Canada wanted to get a hockey card featuring a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s, they only had one option. The 1958-59 Parkhurst set was the place to get them and while the company did not need bells and whistles to grab those nickels from youngsters, a stick of gum was at least part of the offering. While the 1958-59 Topps set … [Read more...]
1963-64 Parkhurst Closes Chapter in Hockey Card History
Regarded by most vintage hockey card collectors to be one of the visually striking sets ever made, 1963-64 Parkhurst marked the end of the company's run of releases which captured the imagination of Canadian kids who wanted to worship their heroes and chew plenty of gum along the way. With the exception of the 1956-57 season, Parkhurst hockey cards and the closely associated … [Read more...]
1957-58 Parkhurst: Hockey Cards Make a Comeback
During the 1956-57 season, Canadian kids were probably pretty disappointed to discover that there were not going to be any new cards of their hockey heroes to collect. While the reasons for this situation are a bit murky due to the ravages of time, the cards and Zip Hockey Gum returned the next year with the 1957-58 Parkhurst set - one of the hobby's underrated gems. Canadian … [Read more...]
1953-54 Parkhurst Hockey Set Had Top Rookies; Errors, Too
Parkhurst returned for its third consecutive year with the release of its 1953-54 issue, tinkering a bit and welcoming some new faces who'd soon be famous, but keeping the look much the same as it had been a year earlier. As was the case with previous sets, the 1953-54 Parkhurst hockey set included a strong mix of key Hall of Fame rookie cards and established NHL … [Read more...]
1952-53 Parkhurst Hockey Set Included Better Quality; Wild Wrapper
Thanks to the rookie cards of Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard--among others--the 1951-52 Parkhurst hockey set remains one of the top releases of all time. But the company followed up that initial debut with a strong issue with its 1952-53 set. With a much improved look as well as another collection of top stars and rookies, it's one that shouldn't be overlooked. 1952-53 … [Read more...]
Old Mill Jackson, E93s Top Mile High Auction
A 1910 Old Mill Tobacco Joe Jackson card sold for $71,107 late last week as part of Mile High Card Company’s July auction. The price, which included a 20% buyer’s premium, was slightly higher than the last recorded sale for the same card in May of last year. An SGC 40 (VG) example sold in April for $168,000 via Robert Edward Auctions. A group of 17 1903 E93 Standard … [Read more...]
Top 10 Hockey Rookie Cards of the 1950s
Hockey cards may never rival baseball and football cards in terms of the sheer number of issues or US hobbyists who collect them, but there is always a strong following for star rookie cards, regardless of the sport, and hockey is king in Canada. Hockey rookie cards of the 1950s, in particular, featured some of the greatest names the game has ever known, and their relative … [Read more...]
Topps Made History with 1954-55 Hockey Set Despite MIA Canadian Teams
During the 1954-55 NHL season, Topps took their first attempt at producing a set of hockey cards. Never before had any sports card manufacturer mass-produced a set of hockey cards in the United States, showing again how aggressive Topps was in attempting to capture the biggest piece of the pie just two years after their 407-card baseball card set debuted. Parkhurst also … [Read more...]