Washington Capitals Black Jersey, The 1954-55 Parkhurst series consisted of 100 hockey cards and currently a full set is valued at up to $4000. A common card is the series is currently worth up to $25, according to Beckett Hockey Monthly. 1954-55 marked the first year that Parkhurst shared the cardboard glory with Topps, a yearly duo that would last until the 1963-64 season.
Four rookie cards were included in the 1954-55 Parkhurst series that are of significance. Gordie Howe might have the highest valued card at $600 but the rookie card of goaltender Johnny Bower is not far behind at $400.
The number 65 card of Johnny Bower is Washington Capitals Black Jersey an uncorrected error, with his name spelled Bowers. Bower played all 70 games for the New York Rangers in his rookie season, 1953-54. However, Johnny played just five games in 1954-55 and two more in 1956-57. It wasn\'t until 1958-59, after shifting to the Toronto Maple Leafs organization that Bower became a regular for good. Bower played for Toronto until retiring after playing Washington Capitals Black Jersey just one game in 1969-70.
Johnny Bower was a two-time Vezina Trophy winner with Toronto. Johnny was a huge part of the Leafs winning four Stanley Cups during the 1960\'s. In 1976, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The second most valuable of the rookie hockey cards from the 1954-55 set is somewhat of an oddity. Fred Sasakamoose played just 11 games during the 1953-54 season with the Chicago Black Hawks and never played another NHL game again. The 1954-55 Parkhurst number 82 is the only hockey card of Sasakamoose. What is the significance? Fred is the first Aboriginal to play in the NHL.
The other two significant rookie cards belong to two players that had somewhat parallel hockey careers. The 57 of Doug Mohns and the 74 of Dean Prentice are both valued at $40. Each played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association during the 1951-52 and 1952-53 season. However, Prentice moved up to the NHL during that season, whereas Mohns didn\'t begin his pro career until 1953-54. Each played Washington Capitals Black Jersey 22 seasons in the NHL with Mohns playing 1390 games to Prentice\'s 1378.
After two Memorial Cup championship seasons with the Barrie Flyers of the OHA, Doug Mohns went straight to the NHL as a regular with the Boston Bruins. Mohns played in the NHL until the end of the 1974-75 season with the Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Minnesota North Stars, Atlanta Flames and Washington Capitals.
Interestingly, Mohns is the only one of the four mentioned here that also had a card in the 1954-55 Topps series. The number 18 card in the Topps set is also considered a rookie card and is worth considerably more than the Parkhurst card at $125.
Dean Prentice played his OHA hockey with the Guelph Biltmores. He started the 1952-53 season with Guelph but finished up with 55 games with the New York Rangers. Prentice played until 1973-74 with the Rangers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota North Stars.
