Although the market really boomed in the 1980s and 90s, NHL trading cards have a long history prior to that. There were cards made even as far back as over 100 years ago, well before it became the global entity that it is now. Like early baseball cards, hockey cards were first found in packages of cigarettes. The tobacco cards were made from 1910-13 and then there was only one post World War I set made for the ’24-’25 season.
Other companies got in the act, including food and candy companies like Paulin’s Candy, Maple Crispette, Crescent, Holland Creameries and La Pietrie.
One of the most well-known hockey card makers was O-Pee-Chee, though there were none made during World War II.
Things picked up in ’51, with Shirriff Desserts, which made these cool old hockey coins, York Peanut Butter and Post Cereal all printing hockey collectibles. Parkhurst joined the fray in ’51 as well and Topps came into the picture in ’54. Neither O-Pee-Chee nor Topps made cards for the ’55-’56 season, but they started again the following year. Many of the most iconic players from the era have their rookie cards in those 1950s sets.
Most of the great post-War hockey rookie cards were made by Topps or its Canadian subsidiary, OPC.
Throughout the years, especially in Canada, there have been countless set issued regionally as part of special promotions. Esso even experimented in the ‘70s with printing small hockey cards on soft paper that were given out to people who bought gas.
Most the companies kept printing, though O-Pee-Chee sold its licenses to Topps and then Upper Deck in the mid-90s. There was a lockout that wiped out the entire ’04 NHL season. After all the debris cleared and play resumed in ‘05, there were only one company standing at the time – Upper Deck. They secured an exclusive contract and then after it ran out, while they renewed it, Panini America was also allowed to produce NHL trading cards.
As you can see, hockey cards have their own rich varied history that rivals MLB, the NFL and the NBA. It will be interesting to see what the next 100 years brings.
| 1970-71 Topps Hockey - Cards #1-132 - Set Break - Choose From The List - NHL | |
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$1.50 Time Remaining: 5d 9h 40m Buy It Now for only: $1.50 |
| 1970-71 Topps Hockey - Cards #1-132 - Set Break - Choose From The List - NHL | |
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$1.50 Time Remaining: 5d 9h 40m Buy It Now for only: $1.50 |
| 1970-71 Topps Hockey - Cards #1-132 - Set Break - Choose From The List - NHL | |
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$1.50 Time Remaining: 5d 9h 40m Buy It Now for only: $1.50 |
| 1954 Parkhurst #75 Nick Mickoski G/VG X1744605 | |
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$4.25 Time Remaining: 30d 12h 47m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
| Bobby Orr 1966 Rookie #35 Boston Bruins / RP | |
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$1.99 Time Remaining: 2d 2h 56m Buy It Now for only: $1.99 |
| 1954 TOPPS #3 HARRY HOWELL EX *102933 | |
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$22.00 Time Remaining: 5h 54m Buy It Now for only: $22.00 |
| 1955 Parkhurst #65 Johnny Gagnon OTG VGEX X1743165 | |
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$8.71 Time Remaining: 28d 12h 51m Buy It Now for only: $8.71 |
| 1955 Parkhurst Hockey, #6 Joe Klukay | |
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$5.99 Time Remaining: 28d 3h 15m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
| 1961 Parkhurst #32 Vic Stasiuk EXMT X1416452 | |
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$9.56 Time Remaining: 28d 9h 33m Buy It Now for only: $9.56 |
| GERRY CHEEVERS SIGNED AUTOGRAPHED 1968-1969 TOPPS CARD-HOF 85 INSCRIPTION | |
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$45.00 Time Remaining: 30d 7h 23m Buy It Now for only: $45.00 |
| 1955 Parkhurst #38 Dickie Moore G/VG X1716651 | |
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$14.66 Time Remaining: 22d 13h 14m Buy It Now for only: $14.66 |
| 1964 Topps GORDIE HOWE #89 PSA 7 | |
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$639.00 Time Remaining: 30d 14h 14m Buy It Now for only: $639.00 |
| 1953-1954 Parkhurst Hockey Card Real Chevrefils # 89 Chicago Boston Bruins Good | |
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$10.00 Time Remaining: 8d 15h 39m Buy It Now for only: $10.00 |
| 1969-70 Topps Set Break # 19 Gary Sabourin EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS* | |
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$0.79 Time Remaining: 9d 18h 59m |
| 1967-68 Topps Set Break # 19 Bob Pulford VG-VGEX *GMCARDS* | |
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$0.79 Time Remaining: 9d 18h 48m |
| 1952 Topps #287 PSA 8 Steve Bilko Cardinals 287 Sharp! | |
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$315.00 Time Remaining: 18d 14h 9m Buy It Now for only: $315.00 |
| 1954 Parkhurst METRO PRYSTAI #34 PSA 6 | |
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$32.00 Time Remaining: 30d 14h 14m Buy It Now for only: $32.00 |
| 1955 Parkhurst #40 Floyd(Busher) Curry EX X1610427 | |
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$7.23 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 23m Buy It Now for only: $7.23 |
| 1954 Parkhurst #69 Bob Chrystal G/VG X1744602 | |
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$4.25 Time Remaining: 30d 12h 28m Buy It Now for only: $4.25 |
| 1953-54 Parkhurst #83 George Gee Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Card | |
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$8.87 Time Remaining: 7d 2h 48m Buy It Now for only: $8.87 |
hi my name is Alisha. I am Trying to find the value of what seems tol be retro hockey cards with just thier first and last names on the front of the cards
Thank u for your time much appreciated.
Alisha