Bobby Orr Rookie Card Value Guide

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Bobby Orr’s rookie cards are among the most valuable hockey cards ever produced, with his 1966 Topps rookie card commanding thousands of dollars even in lower grades. This comprehensive guide covers all Bobby Orr rookie card variations, current market values, and investment analysis.
1966 Topps Bobby Orr #35 – The Main Rookie Card

Orr’s 1966 Topps rookie card is certainly one of the most sought-after for vintage hockey card collectors. Orr’s rookie card features the young Bruin inside a brown-bordered TV set. It is actually the same design used in the 1966 Topps Football set.
PSA has graded Orr’s 1966 Topps card over 1400 times, so they aren’t scarce by any means. However, given the demand, higher-graded copies will certainly set you back a few bucks. Even a VG copy (PSA 3) sells for $4000 or more.
Current Market Values
Grade | Condition | Estimated Price |
---|---|---|
PSA 3 | Very Good | ~$4,000+ |
PSA 6 | Excellent | ~$10,000+ |
PSA 8 | NM-MT | $40,000+ |
Key Details
PSA Graded Population: 1,400+
Card #35 in 1966 Topps Hockey set
Brown TV border design
Most liquid rookie option for buyers/sellers
1966 Topps USA Test Bobby Orr #35 – The Investment Pick
The 1966 Topps USA Test issue was a narrowly distributed set, issued in the US only, and is considered to be one of the rarer hockey card issues. The set has only 66 cards, compared to the Topps set, which has 132.
The design is identical to the Topps issue, with the only differences on the front being a lighter wood border and a white-bordered edge on the right side of the TV frame.
The back of the USA TEST issue is written only in English, whereas the Topps OPC card has a French translation of Orr’s bio.
Why This is the Best Investment Of All Of Orr’s Rookie Cards
Here’s why: If we examine the graded population, PSA has graded roughly 1/10 of the Topps Orr rookie. And then, if we discuss pricing, the Test issue has only a minor premium. It should be higher, in my opinion.
1965-1966 Crown Life Spotlight Orr – The Holy Grail
This 5×7 photo card represents Orr’s true first card, issued during his junior hockey days with the Oshawa Generals.
Extreme Rarity Alert
The card is the rarest of all Orr cards; PSA has graded only two copies.
The last known sale at auction was back in 2019 for a PSA 8 copy at $11,700. Today’s price could potentially be near six figures.
Key Details
5×7 photo card format
Oshawa Generals junior team issue
Orr’s true first card (1965-1966)
PSA Population: 2 copies total
Bobby Orr Rookie Card Summary
🏒 Main Rookie: 1966 Topps #35 (most popular)
💎 Best Investment: 1966 USA Test #35 (scarcer)
👑 Holy Grail: 1965 Crown Life (ultra-rare)
💰 Price Range: $6,000 – $100,000+
Other Valuable Bobby Orr Cards (1967-1972)
While rookie cards command top dollar, Bobby Orr’s career cards from 1967-1972 offer more affordable entry points for collectors. These cards showcase Orr’s championship years and provide excellent value for building a complete Orr collection.
Year | Card | PSA Population | Best Value Grade | Approx Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | Topps #92 | 500+ | PSA 7-8 | $500-1,500 |
1968 | Topps/OPC #2 | 600+/260+ | PSA 6 | $400-700 |
1969 | Topps/OPC #24 | 550+/290+ | PSA 7 | $300-800 |
1970 | Topps/OPC #3 | 740+/430+ | PSA 7 | $200-600 |
1971 | Topps/OPC #100 | 1050+/520+ | PSA 7 | $200-400 |
1972 | Topps/OPC #129 | 1500+/420+ | PSA 7 | $150-300 |
1967 Topps Bobby Orr #92 – Best Investment Potential
We named the second year 67 Topps Bobby Orr card to our All Vintage Hockey Mid Cap portfolio. We like it most importantly for the fact that its graded population is only half that of the Orr Topps rookie card.
In my opinion, Orr’s 1967 Topps card is a great way for collectors to get a much more affordable Orr card, while also appearing to be a strong investment.
I’m also a big fan of the design of the 67 Topps set and this card catches Orr with a big smile. In fact, Topps loved the photo so much that it was re-used year for both Orr’s Topps and O-Pee-Chee issue.
Value Highlight:
- Selected for All Vintage Hockey Mid Cap portfolio
- Population half that of rookie card
- Great smile photo that Topps reused
- Strong long-term investment potential
Current Market Range: PSA 7: $500-800 | PSA 8: $1,200+ | PSA 9: $3,000+
1968 OPC/Topps Bobby Orr #2 – Best Design/OPC Value
Topps and O-Pee-Chee utilized the same image for Orr in their 1968 Hockey set, and the issue introduced a horizontal design, and in my mind, a very attractive design.
The background is a shot of an old-time hockey game and the contrast with Orr and the colorful borders is fantastic.
There is a fairly big difference between graded populations; more than double the number of Topps cards have been graded, a trend that has been fairly typical over the years.
The OPC card does have a premium, roughly 15-20% across grades, but it can differ. The card is pretty affordable; a PSA 6 OPC sold for around $700 back in early 2021, which I think is an attractive value.
From a value perspective, the 68 OPC Orr is the second-best card, only behind the 67 Topps Orr.
Design Highlight:
- Introduced horizontal format
- Beautiful old-time hockey background
- Attractive colorful borders with great contrast
OPC vs Topps Value Play:
- OPC population: 260+ (much scarcer)
- Topps population: 600+ (more common)
- OPC carries 15-20% premium but excellent value
Current Market Range:
- PSA 6 OPC: ~$700 | PSA 6 Topps: ~$500
- PSA 8 OPC: $1,500+ | PSA 8 Topps: $1,200+
1969 OPC/Topps Bobby Orr #24 – Affordable Quality Option
I at first thought the photo used for this card was the same as the two prior year issues, but it’s not the same shot, but VERY similar.
It features Orr with that classic smile, like the year prior, nearly the same grading difference between Topps and O-Pee-Chee, with almost the same exact PSA-graded population as the 1968 set.
Making this card either Topps or OPC a nice affordable Orr card for any collectors looking for something that isn’t his rookie or second and third year cards.
Collector Appeal:
- Classic Orr smile (similar to 1967-1968)
- Consistent population patterns with previous years
- Very affordable entry point to Orr collecting
Special Mention: 1969 OPC 4-1 Bobby Orr
- 4-player perforated sheet format
- PSA Population: 100+ (scarce due to separation)
- Unseparated copies under $600 for higher grades
- Hidden gem for budget-conscious investors
Current Market Range:
- Regular card PSA 7: $300-500
- 4-1 unseparated PSA 7: $400-600
1969 OPC 4-1 Bobby Orr
PSA Graded Population: 100+
Similar to the 4-1 football issue from the 1969 Topps Football set, these full-size cards featured four players with perforated edges, which allowed collectors to remove the cards and paste them into collectible team albums.
Here is an example of a Bruins album in which the cards have been separated and pasted into the album.
Since many kids did tear these apart, finding full unseparated copies is tough, however not impossible. PSA has graded about 100 copies. Given the dearth in graded copies, I actually like this one for an investment as the card is definitely still quite affordable. Higher grade copies can be found usually for less than $600.
1970 OPC/Topps Bobby Orr #3 – OPC Premium Play
The 1970 set isn’t quite as eye-pleasing as the previous Orr issues, but I still like the design with an image of Orr flanked by a red background with specks of light.
Personally, I would have loved to see this card with colors matching the Bruins’ yellow and black—maybe a black background with black and yellow lettering on the bottom?
The OPC version sells at a premium compared to the Topps card, but this is especially true the higher the grade; for example, a PSA 9 OPC copy recently sold for $3600, whereas a similar Topps copy sold for only $1600.
OPC Premium Strategy:
- Significant price gap between OPC/Topps at high grades
- PSA 9 OPC: $3,600 vs PSA 9 Topps: $1,600
- Premium increases dramatically with grade
Design Notes:
- Red background with light specks
- Less eye-pleasing than previous years
- Still attractive and collectible
Current Market Range:
- PSA 7: $200-400 | PSA 8: $600-1,000 | PSA 9: $1,600-3,600
1971 OPC/Topps Bobby Orr #100
Topps and OPC made a big change in design in 1971, adding more colors and cartoon text for the team name. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the design, as it does feel a bit cartoonish, although maybe I’m in the minority.
The Topps population dwarfs the OPC card, more than double the amount have been graded. And from a price perspective the OPC version carries a rough 20-30% premium, especially on the higher end.
Still, a higher-grade version of both cards is quite affordable: for example, a PSA 7 (Near Mint) copy sells for around $200.
Population Reality Check:
- Topps population: 1,050+ (highest of any Orr card)
- OPC population: 520+ (still substantial)
- High supply keeps prices very affordable
Design Assessment:
- Major design shift with more colors
- Cartoon-style team text (polarizing design)
- More modern look compared to earlier issues
Budget Collector Opportunity:
- Most affordable high-grade Orr card av
1972 OPC/Topps Bobby Orr #129 – The “Ugly Duckling” Value Play
Orr’s 1972 Topps/OPC card wins the award for the ugliest design on this top ten list. I hate the colors and the text used for the team name. I bet Topps wishes they could have this one back.
The Topps population is nearly quadruple that of the OPC card, so as you can imagine there is a rather big disparity in pricing between the two. For example, a PSA 9 OPC Orr card recently sold for $1300, more than 4x the price of a similar graded Topps version.
The Design Everyone Loves to Hate:
- Wins “ugliest design” award on this list
- Poor color choices and team text font
- Even Topps likely regrets this design
The Value Opportunity:
- Topps population: 1,500+ (highest ever)
- OPC population: 420+ (4x price difference potential)
- Massive disparity creates arbitrage opportunity
OPC vs Topps Pricing Gap:
- PSA 9 OPC: $1,300+
- PSA 9 Topps: $300+
- 4x multiplier for identical card, different manufacturer
Contrarian Investment Case:
- Ugly design = lower demand = better value
- OPC scarcity still commands respect
- Population difference is extreme
Current Market Range:
- Topps PSA 8: $150-250 | OPC PSA 8: $600-800
- Topps PSA 9: $300+ | OPC PSA 9: $1,300+
Bobby Orr Card Collecting Strategy
For Rookie Card Focus: Start with 1966 Topps or USA Test
For Budget Building: Target 1971-1972 Topps in PSA 7-8
For Investment Upside: Focus on OPC versions and 1967 Topps
For Design Lovers: Prioritize 1968 horizontal and 1967 smile cards
Ready to start your Bobby Orr collection? Each card tells part of the story of hockey’s greatest defenseman.
So, if money was no object, which Orr would you buy?
The 66 Topps USA Test?
The 66 Topps?
The 1965-1966 Crown Life Spotlight Oshawa Generals?
Let us know in the comments below!