March 23, 1994. The Great Western Forum is vibrating. Wayne Gretzky takes a cross-ice pass from Marty McSorley and slides the puck past Vancouver’s Kirk McLean. It was career goal number 802. With that single play, Gordie Howe’s "unbreakable" record was gone.
If you were there, you remember the ceremony. The red carpet on the ice. The Rolls Royce. But for hobbyists, the real story started a few games later when Upper Deck began distributing the Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card.
Most people think there is just "the" card. They're wrong. There’s actually a whole ecosystem of cardboard commemorating that night, and if you're hunting for one on eBay, you’ve gotta know which version you’re actually looking at.
The "Stadium Giveaway" Mystery
Here’s the thing about the most common Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card: it wasn't pulled from a pack. Not originally.
A few games after the record-breaker, the Los Angeles Kings handed out an oversized Upper Deck commemorative card to fans at the Forum. It’s bigger than your standard 2.5 by 3.5-inch trading card. It measures roughly 3.25 by 5 inches.
These were limited—sorta. Upper Deck produced 10,000 of these jumbo beauties. Each one is individually numbered on the back. You'll see them in those thick, screw-down acrylic holders that were all the rage in the mid-90s. Honestly, finding one that hasn't been scratched to death by the plastic case itself is the real challenge.
Why the 1994-95 Upper Deck #226 is different
If you’re a purist who only wants standard-sized cards, you're looking for the 1994-95 Upper Deck #226. This is the "base" version of the Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card that appeared in actual packs the following season.
It uses the same iconic photo of Gretzky with his arms raised, but it’s part of the regular set. Because it was mass-produced, it’s not exactly a "get rich quick" item. You can usually find raw copies for the price of a decent sandwich.
But wait. There’s a "Silver" version and a "Gold" version. The Electric Ice parallels are where the value actually sits. An Electric Ice Gold #226 in a PSA 10? That’s a whole different conversation. Those are genuinely tough to track down because the foil edges on 90s Upper Deck cards flake if you even look at them wrong.
The 24K Gold "High-End" Version
Upper Deck also went a bit crazy with the "Authenticated" line. They released a 24-karat gold-plated version of the Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card.
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- Limited Run: Only 3,500 were made.
- The Look: It’s heavy. It’s shiny. It feels like a piece of jewelry.
- Market Reality: These sell for anywhere from $150 to $800 depending on the serial number and the grade.
The "Howe to Gretzky" Connection
You can't talk about the Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card without talking about Gordie Howe. Upper Deck leaned hard into the "passing of the torch" narrative.
There is a specific hologram card—the 1990 Upper Deck "Gretzky sticker"—that some people confuse with the 802 commemorative. That sticker shows Wayne and Gordie together, but it predates the actual record.
The real 802 cards almost always feature a specific logo. It’s a circular "802" emblem with the date (March 23, 1994) etched underneath. If your card doesn’t have that logo, it’s likely just a standard Kings-era Gretzky card.
Is it actually a good investment?
Basically, it depends on what you mean by "investment."
If you're buying the standard 1994-95 Upper Deck base card hoping to pay for your kid's college, you're going to be disappointed. There are thousands of them in shoeboxes across North America.
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However, the Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA) signed versions are a different beast. Gretzky signed a portion of the jumbo cards and the 24K gold versions through his exclusive deal with Upper Deck. These come with a COA and a matching hologram.
In the current market, "The Great One" remains the gold standard. While rookie cards (1979 O-Pee-Chee) get all the headlines, milestone cards like the 802 are "lifestyle" collectibles. They’re for the guys who want a piece of the history they watched on Grainy CRT TVs.
Spotting a Fake
Thankfully, you don't see many counterfeits of the Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card. Why? Because the real ones are already quite affordable.
The main thing to watch for isn't a "fake" card, but a "fake" autograph. If you see a jumbo 802 card with a signature but no UDA hologram, be skeptical. Wayne was incredibly disciplined with his signing contracts. Most "in-person" Gretzky autos from that era look slightly different than his official Upper Deck ones.
What to do if you want one
If you're looking to add this piece of history to your PC (personal collection), skip the "unopened" packs. Just buy the single.
- Check the Size: Ensure you know if you are buying the 5-inch jumbo or the standard 3.5-inch card. They look identical in small eBay thumbnails.
- Verify the Case: If buying the jumbo version, try to find one still in its original Upper Deck blue-and-white box. It adds about 20% to the "cool factor" and helps with resale.
- Condition Check: Look at the corners of the #226 Electric Ice versions. If they aren't sharp and white, the grade will plummet.
The Wayne Gretzky 802 goal card represents the moment hockey’s most hallowed record fell. Whether it's the $5 base card or the $500 gold-plated treasure, it's a tangible link to the night Wayne truly became the undisputed GOAT.
To secure a high-quality example, focus your search on PSA-graded 1994-95 Upper Deck #226 Electric Ice parallels or the numbered UDA Jumbo cards that still have their original authentication paperwork. Avoid "raw" cards described as Mint unless the high-resolution photos show perfectly clean edges, as this specific set is notorious for chipping.