Hockey card
Encyclopedia
A Hockey card is a type of trading card
typically printed on some sort of card stock, featuring one or more hockey
players or other hockey-related editorial and are typically found in countries such as Canada
, the United States
, Finland
and Sweden
where hockey is a popular sport and there are professional leagues
. The obverse side normally features an image of the subject with identifying information such as name and team. The reverse can feature statistics, biographical information, or as many early cards did, advertising. There is no fixed size or shape of hockey cards, running the gamut from rectangular to circular, however modern North American cards have typically standardized on a 2.5 by 3.5 inch (6.35 cm by 8.89 cm) rectangular format.
, only one more cigarette set was issued, during the 1924-25 season by Champ's Cigarettes. NHL
player Billy Coutu
's biography includes an example of one of the 40 cards issued at that time.
During the 1920s, some hockey cards were printed by food and candy companies, such as Paulin's Candy, Maple Crispette, Crescent, Holland Creameries and La Patrie.
Through to 1941, O-Pee-Chee
printed hockey cards, stopping production for World War II
. Presumably, the 1941 involvement of the US in the war affected the hockey card market, since Canada had been in the war since 1939.
Hockey cards next appeared during 1951-52, issued by Shirriff Desserts, York Peanut Butter and Post Cereal. Toronto's Parkhurst Products
began printing cards in 1951, followed by Brooklyn's Topps
Chewing Gum in 1954-1955. O-Pee-Chee
and Topps did not produce cards for the 1955-56 season, but returned for 1957-58. Other companies to manufacture hockey cards include Pinnacle Brands
, Pacific Trading Cards and Pro Set. Esso briefly issued stamp-sized hockey cards on soft paper in the early 1970s in return for gas purchases.
, Pacific, Topps and In The Game Trading Cards
were all licensed by the NHL and NHLPA to produce trading cards featuring NHL players and logos. After the lockout, Upper Deck emerged with an exclusive contract from both parties. Upper Deck paid $25 million over 5 years for this deal with the PA. Without licensing, Topps simply did not produce hockey cards. Pacific went out of business, its last set was produced just prior to the NHL lockout. In The Game continued to produce hockey cards without NHL and NHLPA licensing. They signed current and retired NHL players to individual contracts, allowing the use of their likenesses and autographs. In The Game also signed licensing deals with the CHL
, the AHL
and Hockey Canada
to use players and logos from these organizations in their products. Prior to the 2010-11 NHL season, Upper Deck renewed its license and the NHL and PA awarded Panini with a license.
Trading card
A trading card is a small card, usually made out of paperboard or thick paper, which usually contains an image of a certain person, place or thing and a short description of the picture, along with other text...
typically printed on some sort of card stock, featuring one or more hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
players or other hockey-related editorial and are typically found in countries such as Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
where hockey is a popular sport and there are professional leagues
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
. The obverse side normally features an image of the subject with identifying information such as name and team. The reverse can feature statistics, biographical information, or as many early cards did, advertising. There is no fixed size or shape of hockey cards, running the gamut from rectangular to circular, however modern North American cards have typically standardized on a 2.5 by 3.5 inch (6.35 cm by 8.89 cm) rectangular format.
History
The first hockey cards were included in cigarette packages from 1910 to 1913. After World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, only one more cigarette set was issued, during the 1924-25 season by Champ's Cigarettes. NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
player Billy Coutu
Billy Coutu
Wilfrid Arthur Coutu was a professional Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, the Hamilton Tigers, and the Boston Bruins...
's biography includes an example of one of the 40 cards issued at that time.
During the 1920s, some hockey cards were printed by food and candy companies, such as Paulin's Candy, Maple Crispette, Crescent, Holland Creameries and La Patrie.
Through to 1941, O-Pee-Chee
O-Pee-Chee
The O-Pee-Chee Company, Ltd. was a 20th-century Canadian confectionery company that produced candy until the mid 1990s. The company, based in London, Ontario, was originally owned by the McDermid family . The company was later owned by Frank Leahy and then, sold to his son in law, Gary Koreen...
printed hockey cards, stopping production for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Presumably, the 1941 involvement of the US in the war affected the hockey card market, since Canada had been in the war since 1939.
Hockey cards next appeared during 1951-52, issued by Shirriff Desserts, York Peanut Butter and Post Cereal. Toronto's Parkhurst Products
Parkhurst Products
Parkhurst Hockey Cards were manufactured by Parkhurst Products, a Canadian manufacturer of sports cards. Their cards were primarily for ice hockey but also featured Canadian wrestlers...
began printing cards in 1951, followed by Brooklyn's Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
Chewing Gum in 1954-1955. O-Pee-Chee
O-Pee-Chee
The O-Pee-Chee Company, Ltd. was a 20th-century Canadian confectionery company that produced candy until the mid 1990s. The company, based in London, Ontario, was originally owned by the McDermid family . The company was later owned by Frank Leahy and then, sold to his son in law, Gary Koreen...
and Topps did not produce cards for the 1955-56 season, but returned for 1957-58. Other companies to manufacture hockey cards include Pinnacle Brands
Pinnacle Brands
Pinnacle Brands was a trading card company from 1988 to 1998. With its first baseball card set called Score, it changed the baseball card industry from the "Big Three" that had been in place for seven years prior...
, Pacific Trading Cards and Pro Set. Esso briefly issued stamp-sized hockey cards on soft paper in the early 1970s in return for gas purchases.
Post lockout hockey cards (2005-present)
After the National Hockey League lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 NHL season, the hockey card market changed dramatically. Prior to the lockout, Upper DeckUpper Deck Company
The Upper Deck Company, LLC , founded in 1988, is a private company primarily known for producing trading cards...
, Pacific, Topps and In The Game Trading Cards
In The Game Trading Cards
In The Game is a sports card manufacturing company with offices in Canada and the United States. In The Game, often abbreviated to ITG, and was founded by Brian Price in 1998...
were all licensed by the NHL and NHLPA to produce trading cards featuring NHL players and logos. After the lockout, Upper Deck emerged with an exclusive contract from both parties. Upper Deck paid $25 million over 5 years for this deal with the PA. Without licensing, Topps simply did not produce hockey cards. Pacific went out of business, its last set was produced just prior to the NHL lockout. In The Game continued to produce hockey cards without NHL and NHLPA licensing. They signed current and retired NHL players to individual contracts, allowing the use of their likenesses and autographs. In The Game also signed licensing deals with the CHL
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
, the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
to use players and logos from these organizations in their products. Prior to the 2010-11 NHL season, Upper Deck renewed its license and the NHL and PA awarded Panini with a license.