CSG-certified Gretzky Rookie Card Represents Collector Goals

While the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche have been battling it out on the ice in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) received a classically cool hockey card in the grading room — a 1979-80 Topps #18 Wayne Gretzky that received a CSG 8 grade.

The card features a blue border with the team’s name across the top, along with Gretzky’s name and position. The Edmonton Oilers logo is in the bottom-right corner. On the back of the card, an outline of a skate includes Gretzky’s basic stats, playing stats for the previous season and a quote about the rookie prospect.

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The 1979-80 Topps set is best known for this Gretzky rookie card; however, it also has several veteran players that anchor the set such as Gordie Howe, Stan Mikita and Ken Dryden.

Hockey card collectors know that the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky card displays the same front image as the Topps version. O-Pee-Chee, a Canadian company, partnered with Topps to issue sports cards in Canada. The back of the card is where the two differ: The O-Pee-Chee card features the text in English and French.

Wayne Gretzky was born in Brantford, Ontario, and went on to become the world’s most well-known name in hockey. He finished his career with 894 goals, 1,963 assists and 2,857 points. Following his retirement in 1999, the standard three-year waiting period for Hall of Fame induction was waved. His number 99 jersey was retired leaguewide as well. He is the only player in the history of professional sports to have his number retired leaguewide while he is still alive.