A one‑of‑a‑kind hockey card that has long been the crown jewel of modern collecting has been removed from its owner’s portfolio and is now set to cross the auction block. The card, a 1/1 Macklin Celebrini Young Guns Gold, is unique in that no other active NHL player holds a Gold Young Guns card of this grade.
The Road to a Million‑Dollar Sale
Upper Deck’s Young Guns series is widely regarded as the true rookie card standard in contemporary hockey, and Celebrini’s gold‑foiled edition elevates that status to a new height. After a sensational sophomore season, Celebrini has emerged as one of the hobby’s biggest stars, drawing comparisons to legends such as Wayne Gretzky and Connor McDavid.
Industry analysts predict the card could reach $1 million at auction, which would make it the first modern hockey card to breach that threshold. The current record for a modern hockey card stands at $5.2 million for a PSA‑graded 10 O‑Pee‑Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie, while the highest‑selling modern card to date fetched $571 k for a PSA‑10 Connor McDavid rookie.
The owner has elected to send the card to Goldin Auctions, where it will be offered to the highest bidder. A floor price of $600,000 CAD has been established, and the auction will be conducted in both Canadian and U.S. dollars, reflecting the trans‑border nature of the market.
The upcoming sale has already sparked considerable buzz among collectors, with several high‑profile brands — including SlabSharks, Upper Deck, PSA, and Goldin Auctions — expected to play pivotal roles in the transaction. As the hockey card market continues to mature, this auction may set a new benchmark for rarity and value.