The 1953-54 Parkhurst hockey cards series marked the third year in a row that the company produced a set. The series consisted of 100 cards with a complete set now valued at up to $4500. A common card is valued at $40. The most valuable card in the set belongs to Gordie Howe at $800. There are five significant rookie cards in the 1953-54 Parkhurst series. The highest valued is the number 27 of Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens.
Jean Beliveau – Montreal Canadiens
The Jean Beliveau rookie card is valued at $600. Although he played a handful of games with Montreal in 1950-51 and 1952-53, 1953-54 was the first year Canadiens fans really became familiar with Le Gros Bill. Hockey card collectors got more of Beliveau than they bargained for. The Dickie Moore rookie card from the same set mistakenly features a picture of Jean on the front.
Jean Beliveau played his entire NHL career in a Canadiens uniform, retiring after the 1970-71 season. Over that time, he was part of ten Stanley Cup winning teams, being awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP in 1964-65.
He won the Art Ross Trophy in 1955-56 with 88 points. He won the Hart Trophy the same season then again in 1963-64. Beliveau’s number 4 was retired by Montreal in 1971 and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.
Gump Worsley – New York Rangers
Lorne ‘Gump’ Worsley played 50 games in net for the New York Rangers in 1952-53 and earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
His 1953-54 Parkhurst rookie card is valued at $400. Ironically, Worsley played the entire 1953-54 season in the minors with the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL.
Gump played in the NHL until the end of the 1973-74 season with the Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars. With Montreal, he won four Stanley Cups and two Vezina Trophies. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1980.
Andy Bathgate – New York Rangers
Andy Bathgate’s rookie card appears in the 1953-54 Parkhurst series despite playing just 18 games with the New York Rangers in 1952-53 and 20 in 1953-54. Bathgate’s rookie hockey card is valued at $150.
In 1954-55, he became a regular and played in the NHL until 1970-71 with New York, Toronto, Detroit and Pittsburgh. He made a comeback of sorts with the Vancouver Blazers of the World Hockey Association in 1974-75, playing eleven games.
Bathgate earned the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s MVP in 1958-59 and won a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1963-64. Andy became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 and had his number 9 retired by the Rangers in 2009.
Harry Howell – New York Rangers
Harry Howell’s 1953-54 Parkhurst rookie card is also valued $150. Howell played defense for the New York Rangers from 1952-53 to 1968-69. He continued on in the NHL until the end of the 1972-73 season with the Oakland/California Golden Seals and Los Angeles Kings. He also played three seasons in the WHA between 1973-74 and 1975-76.
Howell won the Norris Trophy in 1966-67 as the NHL’s top defenseman. To this day he has played more games in a New York Rangers uniform than any other player. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 and his number 3 was retired by the Rangers in 2009.
Al Arbour – Detroit Red Wings
Al Arbour’s rookie card from the 1953-54 Parkhurst series is valued at $100. The card is actually an uncorrected error. The picture on the front is of teammate Bill Dineen and not Al.
Arbour broke into the NHL in 1953-54 with the Detroit Red Wings and played a total of 626 regular season NHL games before retiring after the 1970-71 season. As well as Detroit, Arbour played with the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues.
Al is better known for his coaching success. As bench boss with the New York Islanders, he led the team to four consecutive Stanley Cups. Arbour was awarded the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year for the 1978-79 season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builder’s category in 1996.