Shawn Chaulk poses with his collection of Wayne Gretzky memorabilia in Fort McMurray, Alta., on April 16, 2013. The Wayne Gretzky of Wayne Gretzky collectors has netted some big bucks in an auction of many of his choicest memorabilia pieces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
June 19, 2013 - 9:58 AM
The Wayne Gretzky of Wayne Gretzky collectors has netted some big bucks in an auction of many of his choicest memorabilia pieces.
Shawn Chaulk of Fort McMurray, Alta., received hundreds of thousands of dollars for jerseys, skates, helmets, gloves and pucks used in action by the Great One.
The highest price fetched at the auction, which ended this morning, was for the jersey Gretzky wore in 1986 when he scored his 500th NHL goal.
The battle-scarred copper-and-blue silk went for nearly $300,000.
Chaulk says the deals may be dwarfed by those yet to come, as private buyers sniff around what's left of what was probably the greatest Gretzky collection ever assembled.
The sticks alone number over 100 and range from one used in the 1978 world junior tournament from one used in Gretzky's last game with the New York Rangers in 1999.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013