1980 O-Pee-Chee #250 Wayne Gretzky PSA 9

1980 O-Pee-Chee #250 Wayne Gretzky PSA 9 - The Rise of the Great One

By 1980, Wayne Gretzky was already well on his way to changing hockey forever. Coming off a jaw-dropping rookie season that saw him rack up 137 points and win his first Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, Gretzky quickly became the face of the sport and the catalyst for the Edmonton Oilers' ascent to dynasty status. What followed were records that may never be touched—894 career goals, 2,857 points, and four Stanley Cups—cementing Gretzky not only as the greatest player in hockey history but arguably the most dominant athlete in any team sport.

The 1980 O-Pee-Chee #250 card captures Gretzky at the dawn of his unparalleled prime, wearing the Oilers’ iconic royal blue and orange. With its distinctive bilingual text and slightly rougher card stock compared to its Topps counterpart, O-Pee-Chee versions are considered the true Canadian classics—and are significantly tougher to find in high grades due to centering issues and print flaws. In PSA 9, this example is elite: it showcases crisp corners, bright surface gloss, vivid color saturation, and excellent centering—a near-perfect artifact of Gretzky's early rise.

For collectors building a high-grade Gretzky run, focusing on early O-Pee-Chee hockey legends, or chasing essential pieces of hockey history, this PSA 9 delivers rarity, prestige, and brilliant visual impact. It’s more than just a card—it’s a celebration of the moment when hockey’s greatest legend was just beginning to rewrite the limits of the sport. An essential cornerstone for any serious vintage hockey collection.