Owning an autograph of the NHL’s all-time greatest player is on the list of most hockey collectors. Fortunately, it’s not difficult. In fact, there are numerous ways to add a Wayne Gretzky autograph or two (or more) to your collection. Here’s a look back at The Great One, the various types of items on which you can find Gretzky autographs and more.
Stellar Career
Even if you’re not a huge hockey fan, you surely know his name. From the late 1970s through the 80s and into the 90s, Wayne Gretzky was simply the finest hockey player the sports world had ever seen. He is the league’s all-time leading scorer and set multiple records that will never be touched. He won the NHL MBP Award no less than nine times in his 20-year career.
Always a favorite of collectors, Wayne Gretzky autographs are very desirable and always will be. His signature almost always includes his familiar uniform number 99, making it stand out from other iconic athletes.
Here are some tips for finding authentic Gretzky signed items.
Upper Deck Authenticated
For many years, Gretzky has had an exclusive autograph contract with Upper Deck Authenticated.
The company best known for trading cards also has deals with some of the biggest names in sports, who come to the company’s Southern California headquarters on occasion, signing a variety of items in a “private signing” session.
Each session is attended by company representatives who provide complete, trackable authentication on each item. While Gretzky is quite accommodating in a public setting, his in-person signature is sometimes more of a scribble. The items signed in an unhurried situation on items he knows are costing fans a significant amount of money are clear, legible and signed in the area of the item that provides the best presentation.
While Upper Deck sells the items on its website, you can find plenty of items from past Gretzky signings for sale on eBay, sometimes at lower prices as fans and collectors choose to sell and dealers look to liquidate inventory.
Signed Hockey Cards
Pulling a Gretzky autograph from a pack of hockey cards is about as good as it gets for collectors who buy current products. His first autographs arrived in a special set produced by Upper Deck in the early 1990s but he’s continued to sign fairly regularly throughout the years since his retirement.
The good news is that because of those regular signing sessions, many Gretzky signed trading cards aren’t sky high in price. Of course, those that carry a game-used jersey swatch or are limited in quantity can bring hefty price tags. The number of Gretzky collectors often makes for a competitive atmosphere when those cards come to auction or initially hit the market.
Last Minute Tips
Gretzky does sign generously whenever possible and some of those autographs can be found on eBay, carrying professional authentication from companies like JSA or PSA/DNA. Be sure to know as much as you can about when and where the autograph was obtained and the reputation of the seller, but rest assured those autographs should be the real deal.