Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction Winter 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2023
In 1972 founders of a company named Hockey Diversified Inc. envisioned that each puck shot into the net to produce an official goal scored in an NHL hockey game would develop a degree of intrinsic collector value for hockey fans everywhere. The founders took this idea to the NHL and procured the rights to all such NHL pucks during regular season and playoff games for a period of five years. Pucks shot into the net for a goal were collected by the referees, given to the time keepers to label and then shipped to Hockey Diversified to further label with scoring details. The pucks were then marketed to the public by Hockey Diversified Inc. Unfortunately, this idea was ahead of its time and pucks sold poorly. The program lasted only two seasons, 1972-73 and 1973-74. Hockey Diversified Inc. dissolved shortly thereafter.
Each puck originally distributed by Hockey Diversified could be obtained by mail with the buyer’s choice of team and possibly player. A label was affixed to each puck listing the scorer, team and date, along with a code that divulged which team-goal said puck accounted for. Offered here, is this lot of three pucks that were used by Ivan Boldirev of the California Golden Seals to record his first career NHL hat trick on January 9th, 1974, vs the St. Louis Blues, in Oakland at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena. Boldirev’s 11th, 12th and 13th goals of the season, the goals would stand as the 38th, 39th and 40th of his career 361 goals. After completing the hat trick, Boldirev would register his fourth and final goal of the night during the 3rd period in what would eventually be the game-winner in an 8-6 California win. The first goal would come at 17:34 of the 1st period and be assisted by Gary Croteau, the second goal would come at 16:05 of the 2nd period and be assisted by Craig Patrick and Ray McKay and the third goal to complete the hat trick would come only 33 seconds later at 16:38, once again assisted by Croteau. Each puck is accompanied by a matching registration certificate that lists Boldirev as the owner. All three pucks have rubberized Oakland Seals logos on the front and the Goal Puck Program label on the reverse with logo/label showing significant toning as well as some wear. The pucks themselves all have oily surfaces and present well with just light wear, especially on the puck used to score the third goal as it had just been put into play. The puck from the first goal shows light surface wear on both sides with the puck from the second goal having a small chip at the left side of the front face. The certificates remain in good condition with just light wear in the form of creasing and small tears around the edges. Of note, the puck from the first goal features a program label with handwritten details and was also the 100th point of Boldirev’s career with that notation handwritten around the edge as well.
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