EDMONTON — Connor McDavid won’t be on the ice for months after suffering a broken collarbone Tuesday, but that hasn’t stopped the excitement surrounding the young phenom.
On Thursday morning, McDavid’s rookie card, from the Upper Deck Series 1 Young Guns, went on sale at collectibles shops in Edmonton and people were lining up outside Wayne’s Sports Cards.
Many collectors lined up outside Wayne’s have waited months for the unveiling.
“Since the draft, when they pulled the golden ticket, I knew that I’d be going after this card,” said Blake Stubbington, a collector and Oilers fan who was the first person in line this morning. “I’m a big collector, I’ve been collecting for a long time, so this is really cool.”
“I love the Oilers. I’ve always loved the Oilers. We’ve been season ticket holders since ’79. We’ve bought cards for years,” said Cheryl Stuart, a collector lined up outside. She bought cards for her kids as they grew up, and has recently started her own collection. “I’m just enjoying ripping them open. I understand now why people have so much fun doing it.”
“It’s a blast. This is the days we really enjoy. Days like this,” said Wayne Wagner, Wayne’s Sports Cards owner. “It’s an absolute treat to be a store owner on these type of days.”
The cost to purchase a case that would guarantee a McDavid rookie card was $1,099.95. There’s one, maybe two McDavid cards in each case.
“It’s crazy, right? That’s what my wife thinks, too,” said Stubbington with a smile. “But I’ve been saving up for a long time, and I haven’t been buying any cards up to this point, so I’ll spend the money and make sure I get a card.”
WATCH: McDavid’s rookie card went on sale this morning and the only way to guarantee you’d get one is to shell out some serious bucks for a case of new cards.
Not all of the waiting collectors were willing to spend as much.
“I’d love to buy a case, but my mortgage has to get paid,” said Stuart.
While there will be other rookie cards of the Oilers center, Young Guns is the most anticipated in the marketplace. Upper Deck has the sole licensing deal with the NHL.
Wagner said the last time he saw so much excitement for the release of a rookie card was in 2005 when Sidney Crosby was in his first NHL season.
“It’s those generational hockey players. So, Connor McDavid generational, Sidney Crosby was the last one. We had kind of the exact same scenario when he came out.”
Stubbington agrees.
“Probably the closest thing would have been Sidney Crosby’s card, but even then, I don’t think they’ve had near the anticipation this does,” he said.
“People are collecting that have never collected before. People are buying, just with the hope that they pull his card.”
A McDavid rookie card from the Upper Deck Series 1 Young Guns is worth $200 to $250 right out of the pack. Ryan Dutka already has a buyer for the first McDavid card he finds in his preordered case.
“I sold it for a couple hundred bucks, and now I have to hit it again today.”
While the high selling value has some collectors planning to sell, Wagner believes most people will keep the card.
“Sidney Crosby, when he first came out was a $150 card,” added Wagner. “Everyone saw him play, it when up to $200 a card. They currently sell for around $400.”
“It’s all based on performance, but it kind of shows you what the potential is with a player like Connor McDavid.”
WATCH: People lined up outside an west Edmonton store and paid up to $1,100 to get their hands on a newly released Connor McDavid rookie card. Kent Morrison was at Wayne’s Sports Cards talking to buyers.
With files from Eric Westhaver, Global News
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