A retired carpenter from San Diego discovered that a small investment in hockey cards could produce an extraordinary return after pulling a rare Connor McDavid rookie card in 2019. John had spent less than $150 entering a group card break, but the collectible he received eventually attracted a winning auction bid of $113,176.
The card came from the 2015-16 Upper Deck The Cup collection and featured McDavid’s rookie patch autograph. Limited to just 99 copies, the collectible was already highly desirable among hockey enthusiasts. However, John’s card carried an additional detail that made it particularly special: it was numbered 97 of 99, matching McDavid’s jersey number.
John had recently retired after spending 30 years working as a carpenter when a friend introduced him to sports card case breaks. He purchased a spot in a break hosted by Jaspy’s Sports Cards & Collectibles in Hermosa Beach, California, giving him a chance to receive cards from the Edmonton Oilers.
His randomly assigned selection produced one of the most valuable cards from the collection. The discovery stunned the hosts during the live broadcast, as the McDavid rookie patch autograph became the most valuable card pulled at the shop.
Rather than keep the collectible, John decided to put it up for auction through Lelands. The bidding opened at $2,500 before competition pushed the final price to $113,176. With the auction house’s 20% buyer’s premium included, the anonymous purchaser paid $135,811 to acquire the card.
The transaction attracted attention beyond the hockey card collecting community. AsABC News reported in its coverage of the record-setting sale, the retired carpenter had turned an inexpensive entry into a six-figure auction result.
The sale also demonstrated the growing market for rare sports collectibles, particularly items connected to generational athletes. McDavid, selected first overall by Edmonton in the 2015 NHL Draft, had already established himself as one of hockey’s premier talents.
For John, what began as an inexpensive hobby purchase became an extraordinary financial windfall. His McDavid rookie card ultimately sold for hundreds of times more than his original investment.
This story was originally published byAthlonon Nov 10, 2026, where it first appeared in theNHLsection. Add Athlon as aPreferred
