For hockey card collectors, the 1989-90 O-Pee-Chee release was the end of the innocence as it marked the end of a 25-year stranglehold on the market. Less than a year later, there would be three more manufacturers entering the fray and the hobby boomed to a level previously unheard of. After four straight years of sets consisting of 264 cards, O-Pee-Chee decided to balloon … [Read more...]
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Bad Rap? 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Set Does Have Merit
The 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee set has a bit of a bad reputation with collectors thanks to a lack of big rookie cards and a somewhat unimaginative design. For decades, it has been relatively ignored and the reasons for that are certainly fair from an investment standpoint. For those that have come to love it, though, 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee can have some hidden beauty which perhaps … [Read more...]
Swamped: Collecting the 1982-83 New Jersey Devils
It was a big deal when 1982-83 as O-Pee-Chee featured players from the first New Jersey Devils squad in its annual hockey card set, but the franchise's roots were quite humble. The Devils had spent the last few seasons as the Colorado Rockies---known as one of hockey's hard-luck teams. It was the third move in less than ten years for the franchise that had started life … [Read more...]
5 Bargain Classic O-Pee-Chee Stanley Cup Final Cards
In the classic era of O-Pee-Chee hockey cards that ran from 1968-69 until 1992-93, the game's annual showdown for the Stanley Cup was only rarely given proper tribute on cardboard. Since O-Pee-Chee was often at the mercy of producers at Topps for card designs and the majority of their set content during this era, Canadian kids rarely got a rundown of the previous year's … [Read more...]
Don Lever’s Rookie Card – A Hobby Anomaly
Completing the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee set is a monumental task for even the most savvy and patient of hockey card collectors. The first two series, comprising #1-209, is the easy part - even with cards of the day's biggest stars. Where the real challenge comes in is with the much scarcer third series and there is one card in it that has been quietly selling well above most … [Read more...]
1967-68 Topps Hockey Set Kept to Original 6
Expansion came to the National Hockey League in 1967--and in a big way. The league doubled in size from the longstanding "Original Six" franchises to a 12-team league that was now coast-to-coast. The move came too late to be reflected in the nickel wax packs of cards that arrived on candy counters that season. The 1967-68 Topps hockey checklist included only … [Read more...]
New Book: The O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card Story
Collectors who appreciate learning about the history of trading card companies and their products have a new book to consider. The O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card story offers 116 pages of information and background on the London, Ontario-based company that was a part of every Canadian kid’s childhood for many years, producing hockey and baseball gum cards. The book’s author … [Read more...]
1976-77 Topps Hockey Short on Rookies but Big on Subsets and Inserts
For the most part, the 1976-77 Topps hockey set was your standard run-of-the-mill 1970s hockey issue. But in addition to numerous subsets in the release, Topps also introduced a unique insert, which helped it stand out from others. Here's a closer look at Topps' issue for the 1976-77 hockey season. 1976-77 Topps Hockey Overview The 1976-77 Topps hockey set was a 264-card … [Read more...]
1974-75 Topps Hockey Continued Shift Toward Larger Sets
After producing several issues that included only a few dozen cards, Topps made a major push in the 1970s to increase the size of its hockey sets. Here's a closer look at the 1974-75 Topps hockey issue that continued that model of growth. 1974-75 Topps Hockey Overview At the start of the decade, Topps' hockey sets consisted of 132 cards. That was double the size of what … [Read more...]
Gretzky Canada Cup Jersey Nets Six Figure Price
Wayne Gretzky’s 1981 Canada Cup jersey soared to $104,328 to set the pace in Classic Auctions’ Spring catalog, which closed early Wednesday morning. The red #99 jersey had been in the collection of Alan Eagleson, a one-time NHLPA boss who was later convicted of fraud and embezzlement. In what was his first Canada Cup tournament, Gretzky's 12 points (five goals, seven … [Read more...]
