Hockey Cards

The first hockey cards appeared in 1910 when the British North America Tobacco company printed a color set of players from the National Hockey Association. The promotional gimmick was an instant success. By 1913, three different tobacco companies were including them in their cigarette packages.

Production of hockey cards ceased during the First World War but started up again in the 1920s. During this time, Paulin's Candy, Maple Crispette, Crecent, Holland Creameries and La Patrie, all food and candy companies, printed some hockey cards. The best-known distributer, however, was Champ's Cigarettes. This now defunct company issued a series of 40 NHL hockey sports cards. One of the men featured was Billy Coutu of the Montreal Canadiens. This particular hockey card and any of the Champs vintage hockey cards are now collectors items.

Other companies produced hockey cards during the following decades. The American firm O-Pee-Chee continued to produce hockey cards stopping production only after the United States entered World War II. During 1951-1952, several companies printed off hockey cards. These included Shirriff Desserts, York Peanut Butter, Post Cereal and Toronto, Canada's, Parkhurst Products Company. Brooklyn's Topps Chewing Gum followed in 1954-1955.

Although, O-Pee-Chee and Topps did not fabricate cards in 1955 or 1956, they did in 1957-58. Three firms, Topps, O-Pee-Chee and Upper Deck hockey cards continued to make hockey cards. In the late 1960s and early 1980s, bubble gum wrapped hockey sticks became all the rage.

Today, hockey trading cards is an expensive hobby for many people. Hockey card prices, as indicated in a hockey card price guide, can vary from player to player and manufacturer to manufacturer. Topps hockey card sets and Macdonalds’ Upper Deck hockey cards can have value, as can Macdonald hockey cards, but there are some hard to find cards out there. True high hockey card values lie in the vintage cards of earlier years. Many of them can be classified as high priced collector’s items.

There are specific modern cards that do create a flutter in the collector’s heart. Sidney Crosby or Wayne Gretsky hockey cards have become collector’s items – particularly the rookie cards. Many women’s hockey cards and the Miracle on ice hockey cards also fall into this category. Check the value on hockey cards. Be sure to take into consideration the possibility of one card accruing value in the future.

In Canada, card collecting is a popular business. There are specialty shops, magazines and internet sites dedicated to this pastime. There are also various trading and autograph sessions, as well as conventions held annually across North America. You might be surprised at how much fun these events can be and pleasantly surprised if the hockey card you found in a junk store is actually worth something.