Sports fans have long collected memorabilia as a way to celebrate their favorite teams and players. As the digital revolution changes so many aspects of our lives, how is it affecting the way we collect NHL items?
The Current Situation with Collectibles
Imperial Tobacco Canada produced the first collectible cigarette cards, with the earliest examples covering leagues like the National Hockey Association (NHA) from 1910 onward. The first NHL cards were released in 1923, often arriving with gum or chocolate in the following years. The second half of the 20th century saw significant growth in the collectibles market, with the 1990s introducing higher-quality items such as foil-wrapped cards and certified player autographs.
A Betano study on the NHL collectibles market notes that the Montreal Canadiens lead with approximately 310,000 items listed on eBay. This puts the Canadiens 30,000 items ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the players with the most expensive merchandise, the jersey worn by Wayne Gretzky in his final game for the Edmonton Oilers holds the record currently. The Oilers rank highest for overall merchandise value, though the study emphasizes that fans of all teams have access to a wide range of collectibles at different price points.
What Are NFTs and Digital Collectibles?
The emergence of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) has changed the collectibles market by offering a greater degree of transparency and security. These tokens are recorded on the blockchain, which is a type of public ledger. This means that they’re fully certified as being authentic and also makes it easy to verify their ownership.
Digital trading cards can be stored conveniently on your devices, meaning that you’re able to access them at any time. This look at the way the Upper Deck company has reacted to a changing market reveals how they have NHL cards that are crossovers with mainstream entertainment, as well as cards for the Professional Women’s Hockey League and other tournaments.
A new digital collectibles initiative was recently announced by the Sweet platform. This company launched the NHL Breakaway™ range. These collectibles include some of hockey’s most iconic moments and players, but the appeal doesn’t just come from owning them. The platform incorporates gamification elements to engage fans in collecting and sharing digital assets, with opportunities to earn rewards.
How This Changes Our Outlook
Interest in collecting NHL items has remained strong over the years. Hockey fans have always been keen to find cards, jerseys and other special pieces of merchandise that help them feel closer to their heroes or help them remember important games.
The switch to digital collectibles isn’t going to stop fans from buying physical NHL merchandise as they’ve always done. However, it provides an easy alternative that anyone can enjoy. For fans seeking to preserve memorable hockey moments, NHL NFTs and digital cards provide a convenient alternative to traditional collectibles.