He's been called the Gretzy of Gretzky collectors. Shawn Chaulk has sold off some of the remarkable number of game-worn Great One items he had in his world class collection but he now has something he can't sell. He'll take this one to the grave, too. Some take their love of sports cards to extreme levels like Mikey Douglas, the California man who put a T206 … [Read more...]
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Testing The Waters: 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Stickers
One of the most memorable things for Canadian kids growing up in the 1980s was O-Pee-Chee's annual hockey sticker album which let you affix the day's hottest stars to its pages and provided a sense of accomplishment once all the stickers were inside. The fun all started with 1981-82 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Stickers - a test issue purported to only be available in Ontario and Quebec … [Read more...]
1988-89 O-Pee-Chee Hockey: Gretzky’s Move, Hull’s Rookie, Variations… and a Counterfeit Case
The hockey world changed forever on August 9, 1988 as the Edmonton Oilers shockingly traded Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings and the move also had an immediate impact on the 1988-89 O-Pee-Chee set - which was in the process of being designed by the folks at Topps. While the Topps set was traditionally released around the start of the season, O-Pee-Chee had a little bit … [Read more...]
1984-85 O-Pee-Chee: The End of an Era
For just over a decade, Canadian kids had the same amount of hockey cards to collect each year. The "396" era came to a close with 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee - a set which ranks among the best the company ever released thanks to a sharp and colorful design, tons of big rookie cards, and an awesome contest. What the card-buying public north of the border was not prepared for, though, … [Read more...]
2017-18 Upper Deck NHL Premier to Offer Big Patches, On-Card Autos
Slated to arrive in hobby shops around the time the Stanley Cup Final begins, 2017-18 Upper Deck NHL Premier has been an increasingly popular release in recent years. Collectors are going to be cracking open tins once again in order to get their hands on hard-signed Acetate Rookie Auto Patches of this season's freshman class. Collectors can expect to find one of the coveted … [Read more...]
MeiGray Auctions ECHL All-Star Jerseys, Pucks
Wayne Gretzky was among those in attendance last month when the ECHL held its All-Star Game in Indianapolis. While it’s a bit much to expect any one of the young players on the ice that day to become the next Great One, there’s a good chance a few of them will be skating in NHL arenas someday soon. More than 65 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play … [Read more...]
Notes: NorCal Dealer Still Going Strong; Gretzy’s Historic Puck; Flipping Auction Items
If you’ve collected autographs or browsed for them online, you’ve probably seen the white paneled footballs and basketballs that are designed with graphers in mind. They were created over 25 years ago by Rob Hemphill, who at the time was building his young business in Northern California. Working with Wilson Sporting Goods, Hemphill’s idea was a hit. He later … [Read more...]
Gretzky Canada Cup Jersey Nets Six Figure Price
Wayne Gretzky’s 1981 Canada Cup jersey soared to $104,328 to set the pace in Classic Auctions’ Spring catalog, which closed early Wednesday morning. The red #99 jersey had been in the collection of Alan Eagleson, a one-time NHLPA boss who was later convicted of fraud and embezzlement. In what was his first Canada Cup tournament, Gretzky's 12 points (five goals, seven … [Read more...]
Buyers of Autographed Gretzky Books Get Autopen
Despite his world-wide fame, Wayne Gretzky has been known as one of the more generous autograph signers in sports but customers who ordered signed copies of his new book have come away disappointed. A large quantity of “autographed” copies of ’99 Stories of the Game’ sold through Indigo Books and Music were actually autopenned. Indigo realized the mistake after customers … [Read more...]
Close Call for Gretzky Collector as Fire Rips Through Fort McMurray
The gigantic wildfire in Alberta has destroyed countless homes and businesses, turning lives upside down. For the world’s top collector of Wayne Gretzky memorabilia, it’s been something unimaginable. Shawn Chaulk lives in the area, normally a quiet spot from which to engage his passion for the hobby. That all changed last week. "It was like Armageddon," he told The … [Read more...]
