$3M Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card Case Heading to Auction

Wayne Gretzky remains one of the most hallowed names in professional hockey, and a pricey piece of merchandise from a pivotal part of the NHL star's career is about to hit the auction block. 

According to The Athletic, a so-called "Holy Grail" case containing Wayne Gretzky rookie cards will be available for bidding after its previous buyer failed to provide the payment for it earlier this year. The case of 1979 O-Pee-Chee hockey cards sold for $3.72 million and contains 16 sealed boxes with 48 packs of cards per box for a total of more than 10,000 cards to choose from. Among these are the rare Gretzky rookie cards. 

"We’ve never had a situation quite like this where a buyer who went to the press and essentially announced that he was looking to sell the item prior to making any sort of payment for it," Heritage director of sports auctions Chris Ivy told the publication of the unique return. "It’s just unfortunate that this gentleman participated and appears to have either no intention or didn’t have the ability to pay for it."

The man who first got the box back in February, Jack Arshawsky, acknowledged it's a rare find that will certainly find a loving home when it hits the auction block. 

"I just hope that whoever gets it is someone who really appreciates this kind of an item," Arshawsky told The Athletic of zealous collectors. "They live and breathe it… It’s like a religion to them."

The cards will be available through Heritage's upcoming Winter Sports Catalog Auction from Dec. 5 through 7.