Jean Beliveau (1931-2014) was a Canadian ice hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens from 1950 to 1971. Over his twenty year career, Beliveau notched enough accomplishments to be considered a Top 10 player in hockey history.
Some of these accomplishments include two Hart Memorial Trophies, one Art Ross, and playoff MVP under the inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy in 1965. With ten as a player and seven as an executive (with the Canadiens too), Beliveau claims 17 Stanley Cup Championships, the most of any man.
Beliveau was born as the eldest of eight children. He grew up with an ice rink in the backyard on which his siblings and neighbors played “shinny,” which is an informal name for street ice hockey. This backyard ice was Beliveau’s only exposure to hockey until he played in his first
organized league at 12.
Notably, Beliveau was a talented baseball player. He was renowned in his community’s local leagues. He pitched and played infield. Beliveau even received an offer for the minor leagues when he was fifteen, but he turned the offer down for hockey where he signed a B-Form with Montreal Canadiens. The B-form guaranteed that Beliveau would join the Canadiens when he joined the NHL.
While he was briefly brought up in 1950-51 and 1952-53 for the minimum amateur games, Beliveau was not interested in playing professionally as a young man; instead, he seemed content to play with the amateur Quebec Senior Hockey League. Frank Selke, the Montreal Canadiens General Manager, was convinced in Beliveau’s talent, having signed him to the B-form at 15.
Selke convinced the owners of the QSHL to turn the entire league into a professional minor league. As a result of the B-form signed in youth, Beliveau was then legally obligated to play for the Montreal Canadiens instead of the QSHL. Beliveau began his first full season in 1953-1954 NHL season.
The statistics for Beliveau’s career, which ended in 1971, are impressive, and the stats are significant to hockey’s history because he set some early league records and ranks. In addition to the trophies and statistics, Beliveau is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he appeared on several Top 10 lists in greatest hockey players of the century.
Upon his retirement, Beliveau was named VP and Director of Public Relations for the Montreal Canadiens. In addition to his important Society for Disabled Children, Beliveau was immersed in public life, twice declining a Senate appointment at the behest of Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Later, he was offered the post of Governor General of Canada, which he also declined. Finally, Beliveau was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998, which was the country’s highest civilian award at the time.
Beliveau was one of the greatest hockey players ever, and he was a notable Canadian citizen during his retirement. Here are some of the best cards that remember his legacy.
1953 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau
Beliveau is not represented in his earlier debut, so his first card is with the 1953 Parkhurst. Furthermore, Beliveau’s earliest cards are all
covered by the short lived Parkhurst brand. It is fortunate that collectors have the Parkhurst brand at all.
The rookie card of Beliveau is an exceptional postwar hockey card. It measures 2 ½” x 3 ⅝”. The most notable print defect is the toning. While Beliveau is featured on card #27, his picture was accidentally shown for Dickie Moore at card #28.
There are dozens of cards graded by PSA for the lower and mid grades, but PSA only has one PSA Mint 9 registered which sold for $16,730 in 2014. Prices have remained solid at about $8,000 for a PSA 8, $4,000 for a PSA 7, and prices dip below $1,000 for a PSA 5.
1959 Parkhurst Jean Beliveau
The production of hockey cards of Jean Beliveau took a several year break until the 1959 Parkhurst. Hockey sets from this time period were so small, and Beliveau was left off of some of those tiny sets measuring 15 players each.
The sophomore release of Beliveau card is much more affordable than the rookie cards. A mint condition card would cost less than $1,000.
There are only 50 cards in the set, and they measure 2 7/16” x 3 ⅝”. There is a nice portrait or action shot on the front along with the player’s name, position, team logo, and card number. Key rookies include Carl Brewer and Punch Imlach, adding Tim Horton, Maurice Richard, Henri Richard, and Jacques Plante as anchors, in addition to Jean Beliveau.
Beliveau would remain on the Parkhurst sets until their discontinuation in 1963.
1964 Topps Jean Beliveau
This is Beliveau’s debut on a Topps card. The set has 110 cards that measure 2 ½” x 4 11/16”. All six NHL teams are represented.
The fronts of the cards have a player portrait with a solid background, and the team name is on the top border with the player’s name and position on the bottom border. The backs have a brief bio and fun fact. Beliveau is an anchor of the set, and the number of other great players are substantial. Beliveau and 21 other cards are short prints.
There are only a few of the top grades floating around of this card. A PSA Mint 9 will go for $3,000, though the most recent sale in 2020 was for $6,000.
1969 O-Pee-Chee Jean Beliveau
The 1969 O-Pee-Chee is the first time that Beliveau is featured on one of the legendary O-Pee-Chee sets. There are 231 cards of standard size which were released in a series of 132 and a series of 99 cards. The most significant card on this set is the Gordie Howe error card which was corrected after being released without a number.
Conclusion
Jean Beliveau may not possess the most expensive cards in the hobby, but he is important to the sport of hockey and therefore hockey cards. He represents a time now gone, and Beliveau is an incredible Canadian athlete, champion, and member of the NHL vanguard.