1980-81 O-Pee-Chee Mark Messier #289 RC — COD
Mark Messier is the second-highest scorer in NHL history with 1,887 points, a six-time Stanley Cup champion (five with the Edmonton Oilers, one with the New York Rangers), and the only player in NHL history to captain two different teams to championships. His rookie card from the 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee set captures the dawn of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty at its starting line.
The 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee set is one of the most iconic in hockey collecting. It shares its design with the Topps set of the same year but features the distinctive O-Pee-Chee blue-tinted team logo headers and, crucially, includes Canadian-specific content. The set contains Wayne Gretzky's iconic sophomore card alongside Messier's rookie, making it a cornerstone of any serious hockey collection.
Messier's card (#289) comes with an interesting quirk: there is an error back variety that incorrectly states "Shoots Right" — Messier was left-handed. The error back adds an extra layer of collecting intrigue for condition-sensitive vintage hockey collectors.
PSA Population Report
| PSA Grade | Population | Value |
|---|---|---|
| GEM-MT 10 | 46 | $4,250 |
| MINT 9 | 356 | $800 |
| NM-MT 8 | 1,102 | $300 |
| Total Graded (All Grades) | 4,595 | — |
* Population data as of July 1, 2026. PSA population counts are dynamic and increase as more cards are submitted for grading.
Market Perspective
Messier's rookie card presents an interesting value proposition within the hockey market. While Gretzky's 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee rookie commands five figures in PSA 9 condition, Messier's equivalent card from essentially the same era — from a player who ranks second all-time in points — trades in the hundreds. That gap has narrowed in recent years as collectors have begun to appreciate leadership-legacy players rather than focusing exclusively on pure scorers, but it remains disproportionately wide.
The 46 PSA 10 examples represent a gem mint rate of just 1.0%, which is typical for cards from this era. The 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee set is known for centering issues, soft corners, and wax stains that make high-grade examples genuinely scarce. A PSA 9 at $800 offers strong value for a Hall of Fame rookie from hockey's most collectible era, while PSA 8s at $300 represent an accessible entry point for collectors looking to add a significant piece of hockey history to their collection.
The verdict: Mark Messier's 1980-81 O-Pee-Chee rookie card remains one of the better values in the hockey Hall of Fame RC market — a player of his statistical and championship pedigree should trade closer to his comparables than the current pricing suggests.
