CGC Cards Featured Registry Set: 1951-52 Parkhurst Hockey Company Set
Posted on 5/8/2024
With the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs underway, we are highlighting TPC_Trading's 1951 Parkhurst Full Set (TPC Trading), which features hockey cards displaying the Original Six teams in the NHL. An Ontario-based company, Parkhurst, released the first major set of hockey cards that had been produced in more than a decade after production was shut down in 1939 due to World War II. They were the primary hockey card company until Topps began printing in 1954.
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| 1951-52 Parkhurst #58 Benny Woit graded CGC 6 Click images to enlarge. |
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The 105-card set featured players from the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Parkhurst used crude photographs of players and printed colorful player images on heavy paper stock. The cards included in the set were smaller than standard-size cards, measuring only 1-3/4” by 2-1/2”.
This early Parkhurst set is easily identifiable by its blank back, which is the only time in the company's history that the backs were left empty. All of the player’s information, including their team, position and stats, were printed on the front of the card in black ink. In addition, the set's card number, nickname (Parkie) and year are printed in red ink in a line along the bottom of each card.
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| LEFT: 1951-52 Parkhurst #2 Paul Carl Meger graded CGC 5 RIGHT: 1951-52 Parkhurst #76 Al Rollins graded CGC 3 Click images to enlarge. |
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The vintage Parkhurst set became largely responsible for the start of the modern hockey card market. Since hockey cards had been out of print for years, almost every card in the set is a rookie card, including some of the biggest names in NHL history.
Key rookie cards from the set include hockey icons Gordie Howe (#66) and Maurice "Rocket" Richard (#4), while Terry Sawchuk's first ever card (#61) is highly coveted as well. Other standout rookie cards that are showcased in this set include #3 Butch Bouchard, #10 Doug Harvey, #14 Bernie Geoffrion, #48 Doug Bentley, #55 Red Kelly, #63 Alex Delvecchio, #86 Ted Kennedy and #105 Jim Conacher.
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| LEFT: 1951-52 Parkhurst #61 Terry Sawchuk graded CGC 2 RIGHT: 1951-52 Parkhurst #83 Fleming Mackell graded CGC 1.5 Click images to enlarge. |
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About the CGC Cards Sports Card Registry
The CGC Cards Registry is a free online platform where collectors can register and display their CGC-certified sports cards. The Registry helps you to organize your collection and interact with other collectors. Begin adding your CGC-certified cards and create CGC Cards Registry sets here. Your sets are automatically considered for the annual CGC Cards Registry Awards, where winners receive a prize package that includes a $500 CGC Cards grading credit. For more information on the CGC Cards Registry Awards, you may find the announcement here.
If you don't see a set for your cards, you may request a set. Please review our CGC Cards Registry FAQs for details on how to add requests for sets and slots.
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