As the doughnut and coffee chain Tim Hortons was founded by one of the most renowned hockey players ever, its connection to Canada's favourite sport has always remained strong.
Prior to the 2015-16 NHL season, Tim Hortons announced that it had partnered with Upper Deck to start selling hockey cards at its restaurants, and the excitement in the card-collecting world was palpable.
Since then, the cards have become increasingly popular, with the rarest ones now valuable collectors' items.
Here, we take a closer look at the most expensive Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey cards you can buy to get you up to speed.
But, before we explore the most expensive Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey cards, let's take some time to learn about the man himself.
If you want to discover more of the world's most expensive things, check out the Ask Genie blog.
Who is Tim Horton?
Tim Horton's name is well known across Canada; whether it's for his exploits on the ice or the fast food chain he started, the man is beloved throughout the land.
Horton was born in Cochrane, Ontario, on January 12, 1930, and showed huge promise from the moment he picked up a hockey stick. In 1949, while playing as a junior in the Ontario Hockey Association, he was named best defenseman — the first in a series of accolades spanning his time as a professional.
Tim Horton went on to have a wildly successful career in the NHL, playing 1,446 games in 24 seasons, mainly for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had an impressive record of 518 points, 403 assists, and 115 goals during his career and was nicknamed 'Superman' due to his exceptional strength.
Alongside his incredible hockey career, he founded Tim Horton Donuts in 1964, which later became known simply as Tim Hortons.
Fast-forward to today, and the two things Horton is famous for - his hockey and restaurant chain - have combined. Hockey enthusiasts can now pick up packs of Upper Deck Tim Hortons Hockey Cards while they grab their favourite coffee and donuts.
What are Upper Deck Tim Hortons Hockey Cards?
These cards feature a mix of legends and current players, like Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Auston Matthews, Patrick Kane, and Wayne Gretzky, as well as rare collectables like NHL Jersey Relics.
You can usually pick up packs of the cards for a couple of dollars in Tim Hortons locations across Canada, making them an affordable and accessible way to get closer to the action on the ice.
Each season's cards have a different theme, like the Greatest Duos, where cards feature two notable hockey pairings.
The cards have become an exciting way for hockey lovers and card collectors to engage with each other through community events and discussions. This has also meant that rarer cards have become more sought after by the most keen connoisseurs, driving up their value as people try to complete the perfect set.
And it's those valuable cards we're exploring now as we discover the most valuable and expensive hockey cards ever.
The 10 Most Expensive Tim Hortons Hockey Cards Ever
1. Auston Matthews 2016 Rookie Card - C$5,000
Topping our list is the Auston Matthews Rookie Card, which was released as part of the 2016 collection. It's valued at C$5,000 and is considered one of the rarest Tim Hortons cards ever produced.
The card's rarity is due to the fact that only one exists for every 18,000 packs of Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey cards, making it a tough find.
Auston Matthews was the first overall draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2016 NHL draft.
He has since gone on to become one of the best players in the NHL. In the 2021-22 season, he was awarded the Hart Trophy for Most Valuable Player and the Ted Lindsay Award for Most Outstanding Player.
This combination of the player's undeniable reputation and the card's rarity makes it a deserving pick for the most expensive Tim Hortons hockey card available.
2. Connor Bedard 2023 Top Draft Pick - C$2,333.00
This Top Draft Pick card of the Chicago Blackhawks centre, Connor Bedard, sold for more than two thousand Canadian dollars.
Bedard more than justified the card's popularity and price, however, as he went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as top scorer and rookie of the year in his first season with the Blackhawks.
If Bedard's opening season as a Blackhawk is anything to go by, he's set to become an NHL great, so keep a lookout for the North Vancouver native in future packs, and maybe you could be sitting on a small fortune.
3. Sidney Crosby & Nathan MacKinnon 2023 Autograph Duos Redemption Card - C$1,578.16
Nicknamed 'Nate The Great,' Nathan MacKinnon is considered one of the best current hockey players in the world. In 2022, he won the Stanley Cup with Colorado Avalanche and was the leading scorer during the playoff campaign.
Meanwhile, Sidney Crosby has been forging his legacy, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP in the playoffs) in consecutive years.
These players' pedigrees certainly command a high salary, and it seems this translates to the trading card world, too.
This Autograph Duos Redemption Card enables the redeemer to get their lucky hands on a card signed by both Mackinnon and Crosby. Two players' autographs are rarely available on the same card when they're not on the same team, but the card's value was increased even more by the fact that only 75 of these were available.
4. Wayne Gretzky 2023 World's Best - C$1,250.00
This 2023 World's Best collection card features arguably the greatest hockey player, Wayne Gretzky.
Nicknamed 'The Great One,' Gretzky scored 92 goals for the Edmonton Oilers in the 1981-82 season, a record that still stands today.
More than deserving of his World's Best card, this uber-rare collectible is now a cherished part of one lucky person's collection after being bought for over a thousand Canadian dollars.
This World’s Best card certainly fetched a pretty penny, but did it make the list of the most valuable Wayne Gretzky hockey cards ever sold? Check out our list to find out.
5. Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl 2023-24 Autograph Duos C$1,226.88
Another card from the Autograph Duos collection is the redeemed version, featuring the signatures of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
McDavid is a celebrated captain of the Edmonton Oilers and widely regarded as one of the world's best players, even winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.
His counterpart on the Autograph Duos card, Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, is another superb player. In 2020, the German won the Ted Lindsay Award for Most Outstanding
Player, the Art Ross Trophy as a leading points scorer, and the Hart Memorial Trophy.
Combine these players' reputations with the fact that only around 65 of these cards were available, and you get one of the most sought-after UD Tim Hortons cards ever made.
And, if you're a dedicated Oilers fan, how could you pass up on an opportunity to own a card signed by two of your team's greats?
Prefer your hockey with a healthy dose of ‘90s nostalgia? Explore the 8 most valuable hockey cards from the 1990s in our guide.
6. Autograph Jersey Relics Complete Set 2016-17
Next is the complete set of NHL Jersey Relics cards from the 2016-17 season.
Finding just one or two of these cards is already rare, but to snag a whole set is another thing altogether, with the odds being 1:62,501. This set is valued at C$1,175 and features all six cards from that season's Relics line.
The six players featured on the cards are Alex Galchenyuk of the Montreal Canadiens, Ryan Miller of the Vancouver Canucks, Mike Hoffman of the Ottawa Senators, Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks, Sean Monahan of the Calgary Flames, and Rick Nash of the New York Rangers.
7. Autograph Jersey Relics Complete Set 2017-18 - C$1,175
The 3rd spot on our list goes to another complete set: NHL Jersey Relics cards, this time from the 2017-18 season.
The two complete sets are tied when it comes to valuation - this set is also worth over a thousand dollars. The rarity of this collection means the odds of finding it are 1:69,434.
The six players in this set are Mike Hoffman of the Ottawa Senators, Mats Zuccarello of the New York Rangers, Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens, Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Bo Hovart of the Vancouver Canucks.
8. Connor McDavid 2015 #1 Draft Pick - C$929.97
Another Connor McDavid card, this time unsigned, that makes our list is his 2015-16 Rookie Card.
In the prior season, McDavid scored an unbelievable 120 points in just 47 games, establishing his claim as one of the best rookies around and a deserving first-round draft pick.
It was clear from this season that the Richmond Hill native was destined for big things, and his Edmonton Oilers form in the years since his debut has lived up to the expectations.
With such an incredible career, McDavid's #1 Draft Pick card is a piece of history that any NHL fan would be interested in.
9. Jack Hughes 2019 #1 Draft Pick - C$823.40
Another #1 Draft Pick card is Jack Hughes, who joined the New Jersey Devils in 2019. Since then, the American Centre has gone on to break the franchise's record for most points in a season (99).
Hughes comes from a family of Hockey royalty, with his brothers Jack (NJ Devils) and Quinn (Vancouver Canucks) and father, Jim (former assistant coach of the Boston Bruins), also having respected careers in the sport.
With such a lauded rookie career, including breaking the US National Team Development Program's points record with 190 points, and a tremendous career ahead of him, it's no wonder that Jack Hughes' #1 Draft Pick card cost over C$800.
10. Sidney Crosby 2023 Signatures - C$800
The final card on our list is from the Signatures collection and features the legend that is Sidney Crosby, appearing in our top 10 for the second time.
This card, signed by Crosby, includes an additional piece confirming its authenticity, making it a must-have for any card collector.
Sidney Crosby is considered one of the best hockey players ever and was the youngest NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup in 2009. Amongst many other accolades, he also won a gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver while representing Team Canada.
See if any of these cards made the list of the 15 most valuable trading cards ever sold.
Explore more with Spin Genie
Tim Hortons hockey cards have become a staple in the card-collecting community. As you can see from our list of cards you can buy, it hasn't taken long for some of the rarest cards in these collections to shoot up in value. And as the years go by, the prices will only continue to rise.
Investing in a rare Tim Hortons hockey card will undoubtedly turn a future profit. Or, you could buy a pack next time you grab a coffee from Tim Hortons and hope that something rare turns up.
Or, if you're a hockey fan, look at our other blog - What is the Most Expensive Hockey Card You Can Collect and Buy?
For more sports content, head to the Ask Genie blog, where you’ll find the following:
- A Fan’s Guide to the 10 Best NHL Arenas
- The 9 Best Golf Resorts in Ontario, Canada
- The 12 Best Fishing Spots in Ontario
- The 10 Best Fishing Lakes in Alberta
- The Most and Least Successful Athlete-owned Companies
- The 10 Best Golf Courses in Canada
- The Top 10 Most Expensive Sports in the World
- The Most Expensive NFL & CFL Teams To Follow
FAQs about Tim Hortons Trading Cards
What is the Most Expensive Tim Horton Hockey Card Ever Bought?
The most expensive Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey card ever bought is the Auston Matthews 2016 Rookie Card, valued at C$5,000.
There was only one card per 18,000 packs, making this a scarce and hard-to-find piece.
What is the Value of the Sidney Crosby Tim Hortons Card?
The Sidney Crosby 2023 Superstar Signatures card was sold on eBay for C$800, but depending on current market trends, it may be worth more or less.
Crosby's illustrious career and world-class skills will surely make these collectors items more sought-after in the coming years.
Are Tim Hortons Hockey Cards Worth Anything?
As with all trading cards, Upper Deck Tim Hortons hockey cards vary in value massively depending on the cards you have. Some may only be worth a couple of dollars, but others, like the ones covered in this list, can be worth thousands.
Autograph cards and limited-edition releases can be worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars; it all depends on what you open.
What are the Rarest Tim Hortons Hockey Cards?
Some of the rarest Tim Hortons hockey cards include:
- The Auston Matthews 2016 Rookie Card: There is only one card for every 18,000 packs, making it extremely difficult to find.
- Autograph Jersey Relics Complete Sets:
- 2016-17 set: Valued at C$1,175, with odds of 1:62,501 packs
- 2017-18 set: Also valued at C$1,175, with odds of 1:69,434 packs
How Much are Tim Hortons Hockey Cards?
A pack of Tim Hortons hockey cards costs around C$1.50. Bulk packs can be bought online, but the price structure will be different and cost more.
