Mario Lemieux
O-Pee-Chee Hockey (Sports Trading Card) • 1985-1986 O-Pee-Chee
Card Type
Player Card / Rookie Card
Set & Number
1985-1986 O-Pee-Chee - 262
Rarity
Rookie Card (RC)
Edition & Language
Original O-Pee-Chee Printing (Canadian) • English / French (Bilingual reverse)
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Near Mint (NM)
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $400 - $700; PSA 9: $3,500 - $5,000; PSA 10: $50,000+
Recent Sales
PSA 8 copies consistently sell for $1,200-$1,500. PSA 9 copies have recently fluctuated between $4,000 and $6,000 depending on auction house. Ungraded copies in similar high-end condition range from $500 to $800.
Condition Details
The card shows excellent centering, which is rare for this set. Corners appear sharp through the sleeve with no visible soft points. Edges look clean without the typical O-Pee-Chee rough-cut chipping. Surface appears free of print snow or wax stains.
Grading Recommendation
Highly Recommended. This is one of the most important hockey cards ever produced. Due to the high centering quality and clean borders visible, it is a strong candidate for PSA or KSA grading. A grade of 8 or higher significantly increases market liquidity and value.
Card Description
Features Mario Lemieux in his Pittsburgh Penguins home jersey. The card marks his rookie season following an historic junior career. Back of card contains his 1984-85 NHL stats and biographical information in both English and French.
Notable Features
O-Pee-Chee logo in lower left (distinguishes it from the Topps version). Yellow border design with 'PENGUINS' in vertical text. This is considered the 'True Rookie' compared to the less valuable Topps US counterpart.
Authentication Notes
Print quality matches the 1985 O-Pee-Chee stock. Counterfeit versions often have 'blurry' text or lack the fine dot matrix in the yellow border. The registration of the red/blue lines on the back is a key indicator of authenticity. This specimen shows authentic wear patterns and print characteristics.
Scanned: 2026-03-07T18:45:35.229910