Wayne Gretzky rookie card sells for record $465K at auction

Add another Wayne Gretzky-related record to the books.

The 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky rookie card sold for a record $465,000 to an anonymous bidder during the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City, N.J. on Thursday night.

The card’s price began at $100,000 when Goldin Auctions opened the bidding on July 11. When the auction went live during the convention, the price had ballooned to $280,000.

According to ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell, the same card previously sold for $94,0000 in 2011, which was the original record.

The Gretzky card was graded a GEM Mint 10 by PSA, one of the industry’s biggest sports card authenticators. Despite some flaws, PSA explained the grading of this particular card on their website saying, “…these OPC cards were made with varying degrees of rough cuts, unlike the smooth cuts seen on the Topps counterpart.”

“In this particular grade, there is only one,” Ken Goldin, CEO of Goldin Auctions told CBC. “Of all the cards that have been sent in to be graded and authenticated, this is the only one that’s been graded a perfect ten. It’s the best of the best. One of a kind.”

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy