Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction Spring 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/3/2023
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, 1972-1973 and 1973-74. Hockey Diversified Inc. dissolved shortly thereafter. Classic Auctions is honored to have been chosen by an original founder of Hockey Diversified to sell, at upcoming auctions, residual, unsold pucks from that “NHL Registered Goal Puck” collection.
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. At the onset of the NHL Puck Program, goal pucks were offered to collectors mounted on aluminum plaques. These were costly to produce and sold poorly. Fewer than 150 were produced for sale to collectors, and very few remain. Offered here is one such plaque. This particular puck was used by Mike Walton to score the Boston Bruins 65th goal of the season vs the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Garden, on Nov 9, 1972. Assisted by Garnet Bailey and Fred Stanfield, it was Walton's 4th of the season and 119th of his career, with a total of 201 career goals. The Bruins seventh goal in the high-scoring contest, netted at 15:56 of the third, the Beantowners would add one more for an 8-3 victory at home, with Walton scoring two goals in the match. The rubberized Bruins logo shows light surface wear. The aluminum plaque is in beautiful condition with a few minor scratches.
By clicking this button, you will IMMEDIATELY bid the amount selected.
By clicking this button, you will submit this amount as your MAXIMUM (absentee) bid. The auction software will place bids on your behalf up to this amount only as it is bid against competitively by other bidder(s).