The highest valued rookie card in the 1962-63 Topps series featured a young New York Rangers player, Vic Hadfield. Card number 60 is the Vic Hadfield rookie card and is valued by Beckett Hockey Monthly at $50. The full set is valued at $1300 with a common card going for $12. The highest valued card in the 1962-63 Topps series is Bobby Hull’s card which is valued at $300. Other notable rookie cards include Bruce Gamble ($40), Chico Maki ($20), Jim Neilson ($20) and Bob Perreault ($15).
Why is this hockey card the highest valued rookie in the 1962-63 Topps series? Vic Hadfield went on to be one of the New York Rangers all-time greats. Best known as a member of the GAG line, along with Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert. The name GAG line came about because the three would always produce at least a ‘goal-a-game’. Unfortunately, Hadfield always lived in the shadow of his two linemates. Hadfield is one of those guys that’s an honourable mention for the Hockey Hall of Fame while Gilbert was inducted in 1982 and Ratelle entered in 1985.
Hadfield played junior hockey in the OHA with the St. Catherines TeePees for two years, 1958-59 and 1959-60. Vic played for the Rangers from 1961-62 to 1973-74. He was team captain from 1971-72 to 1973-74. He ended his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing three seasons from 1974-75 to 1976-77. In his first two years with Pittsburgh, Vic topped the 30 goal plateau in each. Despite this, in Pittsburgh he was in the shadow of players like Jean Pronovost and Pierre Larouche.
The highlight of Vic’s career was the 1971-72 season. The Rangers finished second overall in the National Hockey League behind only the Boston Bruins. The Rangers met the 1972 Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals and lost in six games. Hadfield finished the regular season with 50 goals and 106 points. His 50 goals tied him with Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks for second in the NHL behind only Phil Esposito of the Boston Bruins. His 106 goals played him fourth. Interestingly, Ratelle, Hadfield and Gilbert finished second, third and fourth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. With a career high of 142 PIM, Vic finished just 1 PIM out of 10th place in the pre – Broad Street Bullies era.
To this day, Hadfield is fifth all-time in goals for the New York Rangers, 9th in points and 10th in assists. He finished his NHL career playing 1002 regular season games and 74 additional in the playoffs. He scored 323 goals over his career and totalled 712 points.