Sask. family says they're satisfied with sale of rare case of hockey cards from Gretzky's rookie year

A Saskatchewan family made headlines after selling a rare, unopened case of 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards for $2.52 million US on Thursday, setting a new world record for the most expensive unopened sports card case ever sold. 

The case, containing 16 boxes of hockey cards and dozens of potential Wayne Gretzky rookie cards, was sold through Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, Texas.

The sale comes months after an initial auction in February, where the case seemingly sold for a higher price of $3.75 million US. However, that transaction fell through due to a non-paying bidder.

Chris Ivy, director of the sports category at Heritage Auctions, called the $2.52 million sale a significant moment in the sports memorabilia world.

"This is the only example of this 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee case known in the world," Ivy said. "It's a world record price, and both we and the family are extremely pleased. Collectibles continue to grow in value, and this is an excellent example of a one-of-a-kind item."

The rarity of the case was a major factor in the bidding competition, which spanned several hours online. Ivy said that the extended bidding format allowed multiple bidders to push the price up by a million dollars in the final hours.

The Saskatchewan family, who has chosen to remain private at this time, was satisfied with the final sale despite the earlier hiccup, Ivy said.

"They understood that the earlier price wasn't legitimate due to the non-paying bidder," Ivy said. "This result truly reflects the market value."

Rich Mueller, editor of Sports Collectors Daily, echoed similar sentiments about the significance of the sale.

"Sales like this tend to draw other rare things out of the closet," Mueller said. "Someone might see the story and realize they have something valuable in storage. It's like a domino effect that keeps the collectibles market dynamic and exciting."

The chance of finding the Gretzky rookie cards inside the unopened boxes also fuelled interest in the sale. However, both Ivy and Mueller agree that the true value lies in the case's sealed and untouched condition rather than the cards themselves.

"The odds of opening it and finding a significant number of gem-mint Gretzky rookie cards are slim," Mueller said. "The uniqueness and rarity of the sealed case itself are what make it so valuable."

Ivy confirmed that the winning bidder is American.

He believes this record-breaking case will likely resurface in the future.

"Someone will reach out in the next several years with an offer," Ivy said. "It's the kind of piece that collectors dream of owning and being stewards of for future generations."