Description: What we are offering are the only two known 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wax packs with well centered Wayne Gretzky rookie cards showing.  One of the cards is perfectly centered while the other is better than 60:40 centered both ways.  The packs are in ultra-high grade and are the only two that can be directly traced back to original unopened cases.  We guarantee that these packs will unanimously pass the toughest grading standards and strongly caution that there are no professional holders yet designed that flawlessly encapsulate wax packs without some potential for damage.  Thus, these packs will be shipped in oversized, snap-tight cases along with proper padding, which will preserve them for as long as is needed for the grading companies to come up with "perfect" holders.  These packs are the ultimate source for the greatest probability of additional "Gem Mint 10" Wayne Gretzky rookie cards.

Today, finding even one unopened pack with Wayne Gretzky showing is nothing less than miraculous because between 2015 and present, nearly every single pack with him showing was opened in order to submit the cards for professional grading.  Further, the two packs we acquired have both a pedigree as well as provenance from being purchased long before they became extremely valuable. In fact, today, it would be nearly impossible to find a legitimate, unopened wax pack with a well-centered Wayne Gretzky rookie card showing.  In other words, the few legitimate ones that still exist were left unopened because the Gretzky was poorly centered.

History of the card & packs: In 1985, the collecting of wax packs, rack packs, cello packs, and other unopened material showcasing major cards on front or back began in earnest.  1984 Donruss baseball grocery packs featuring a Don Mattingly Rookie Card showing through in one of the six cellophane windows soon became an instant collectible.  Buyers began hoarding everything from 1985 to 1988 and eventually, collectors began searching for earlier unopened baseball material with stars showing.  Unopened football products with the key cards on top did not become popular until the 21st Century and hockey packs with major players showing through did not really start accelerating in value until recently.

The sport of hockey began to significantly change in 1988 when Wayne Gretzky joined the Los Angeles Kings.  Although Beckett issued the first monthly price guide in the Fall of 1990 with The Great One on the cover, hockey cards would not dramatically increase in value until the last decade.  In fact, a PSA 8 Gretzky could easily be had for less than $1000 until March of 2011 and only rose to $2000 in May of 2015.  It held steady in the $3500 to $4500 range between March of 2016 and August of 2018.  Only in the Fall of 2020 has it consistently exceeded five figures in Near Mint to Mint condition.

Very few people outside of a tight collecting community really cared about Wayne Gretzky rookie cards from 1990 until 2015.  Ironically, it was this 25-year time period where we actively searched throughout Canada for 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey wax packs where the back card showing was a well-centered Wayne Gretzky rookie.  In 1995 we found the first and twenty years later, we located a second example.  Over this quarter century, we passed on more than four dozen packs because the Gretzky was poorly centered.  It is important to note that regular 1979 O-Pee-Chee packs at the time were worth between $10 and $100 each.  As a result, while we scoured box after box and case after case, the premium value was insignificant and dealers were happy to accommodate us.

Important Facts:  Everything ships fast and free with insurance as well as tracking.  When comparing us to others, consider that Irishhosta prices are always net and your items will go out the same or next business day.  What you buy from Irishhosta, your purchases will also be packaged very carefully and great care will be taken.  Additionally, items valued over $500.00 are usually delivered to you the next business day via FedEx.  For our Canadian customers, we ensure that your net price will be exactly what your eBay invoice amount is—in other words, all additional expenses (e.g., duty, taxes, customs, freight, insurance, shipping, fees, etc.) are exclusively billed to our account.  If you have specific questions, be sure message us through eBay, type Irishhosta into any Internet search engine, or go to the top of our eBay store home page:

http://stores.ebay.com/Irishhosta-Sportscards

Special Note: There is a very small segment of the hobby which produces, distributes, buys, and/or sells fakes, reproductions, reprints, counterfeits, copies and phony items.  All Irishhosta items are original as well as authentic.  Furthermore, with more than 40 years of experience, we possess the knowledge required to guarantee each and every item.

We Are Buying:  If you need bona fide answers or would like to communicate with Irishhosta, message us through eBay, type Irishhosta into any Internet search engine, or go to the top of our eBay store home page:

http://stores.ebay.com/Irishhosta-Sportscards

Do you have a collection to sell, would you like additional information on an item, or do you desire an honest evaluation of something which is potentially valuable?  You will receive a prompt response to every inquiry and you can depend upon us for a professional experience with first class service.