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What are the toughest OPC hockey cards from the 1960's-1980's to find in Mint condition?

reggie1reggie1 Posts: 44
in PSA Set Registry Forum
Are certain cards in certain sets tougher to get in PSA 8 or better condition because of location on sheets, rough cuts, print lines, centering or other flaws or low production. There must be quite a few of these cards that are the real toughies to locate in the right gradeable condition whether star or a common. I noticed this in the 1952 Topps baseball. Out of the 650 Hi #'s i had over a period of 10 years, i noticed certain cards were very tough to get centered. I had enough of each number to make a fairly good judgement. Campanella, Mathews, Fridley, Serena, (Rutherford was just tough to get in any condition), Marrero, Bartirome, Yvars, Lepcio, Labine, Cain, Crowe, Turner, Meyer, Nelson, Miller and others. Cards were bought from a bunch of different sources instead of one bulk deal from one collector. I might be off on a few but this is what i found with my cards. Does the same thing happen with the OPC hockey.

Comments

  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,762 ✭✭✭
    1976,1979 and 1981 have been real hard for me to locate? i don't know what happend in 76 but they are just terrible?
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,582 ✭✭✭✭
    '76 Trottier rookie. I've been looking for a mint, non sheet cut one for years. Centering always seems to be off l-r.
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • yawie99yawie99 Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭
    i'll second the trottier rookie. i once had one that had smokin' corners and front centering, but the print quality was a veritable blizzard and the centering on the reverse was about -10/110. does a 9nq even exist of that card?
    imageimageimageimageimageimage
  • milbrocomilbroco Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭
    Is the 1981 the East / West year? If so, I have 2 of each in my closet........however they probably are not for sale. I also have 2 of the 1976 boxes with one opened pack. I used to buy boxes and put them away. The 76's cost me $18.00 each around 1982 or so. The 81's were about $9.00 each.

    I sold most of what I had like boxes of 1980 Topps, 1985 Topps, 1984 Topps and OPC Hockey, No Basketball, 1984 Topps, 1989 Score Football, and a lot of baseball from 1983 to 87. By the way, I also have a case of 1990 Pro Set Hockey..........For some reason I did open all of my 1979 hockey except for about 6 packs.

    Anyway, maybe I will open some of those hockey packs tonight.........I will let you know if I do.
    ebay seller name milbroco
    email bcmiller7@comcast.net
  • MrUncMrUnc Posts: 14 ✭
    To answer your question, the OPC hockey cards from 68-81 are probably the toughest run of condition sensitive cards in the hobby. I've been working on a bevy of sets from 73-80 and it's a tough job. Some years are easier than others, namely 73 and 77 OPC, but even those sets are a good challenge to put together in high grade. Also, with the recent findings of sheet cut cards, hard core collectors are often willing to pay a premium for outstanding, authentic looking high grade cards. They are true treasures when found and will likely maintain their scarcity because the raw product just isn't out there.

    Regards,
    Matt
    specialize in high end vintage hockey cards, several sets under the psa Registry "Matthew Pime"
    Hockey in the 1960's-1970's primarily.
  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,582 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>does a 9nq even exist of that card? >>



    Nope. Did you get the one you mentioned graded, or did you sell it raw?



    << <i>Anyway, maybe I will open some of those hockey packs tonight.........I will let you know if I do. >>



    Let me know if you come across a nice Trottier RC in your pack-opening frenzy image
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • OnlypsahockeyOnlypsahockey Posts: 1,479 ✭✭


    << <i> Also, with the recent findings of sheet cut cards, hard core collectors are often willing to pay a premium for outstanding, authentic looking high grade cards. They are true treasures when found and will likely maintain their scarcity because the raw product just isn't out there.

    Regards,
    Matt >>



    How do you tell the difference, is there a way to identify a sheeet cut card? Thanks, Bob
    57 Topps (83%) 7.61
    61 Topps (100%) 7.96
    62 Parkhurst (100%) 8.70
    63 Topps (100%) 7.96
    63 York WB's (50%) 8.52
    68 Topps (39%) 8.54
    69 Topps (3%) 9.00
    69 OPC (83%) 8.21
    71 Topps (100%) 9.21 #1 A.T.F.
    72 Topps (100%) 9.39
    73 Topps (13%) 9.35
    74 OPC WHA (95%) 8.57
    75 Topps (50%) 9.23
    77 OPC WHA (86%) 8.62 #1 A.T.F.
    88 Topps (5%) 10.00
  • rvcrvc Posts: 559 ✭✭
    " Are certain cards in certain sets tougher to get in PSA 8 or better condition because of location on sheets"

    most definitely true for 1979 topps
    Bob
  • yawie99yawie99 Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭
    sold it raw, shag. can't remember how much it went for, but it wasn't much.
    imageimageimageimageimageimage
  • JrMacdaddyJrMacdaddy Posts: 506 ✭✭


    << <i>Is the 1981 the East / West year? >>



    Topps had the east/west, OPC didn't.
  • MrUncMrUnc Posts: 14 ✭
    OnlyPSA,

    Sheetcut cards are not noticable to the average collector. That's because they look much like modern cut cards. Back in the day, O Pee Chee had a very antiquated cutting process on their cards. Their American counterpart, Topps, used the better machinery for cards produced stateside.

    Usually, OPC cards from the era have fuzzy borders, sometimes chop - cut borders. Sometimes it looks like they were cut with a wire. It's a very unique look that when examining a group of cards from wax packs of the day that's very apparent. Sheet cut cards are too perfect. Now, there are some vending years where the cut was a little better (71 high series and 73) but those cards are sometimes few and far between.

    If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mattpime@aol.com and look on the registry in 70's hockey under Matthew Pime.
    specialize in high end vintage hockey cards, several sets under the psa Registry "Matthew Pime"
    Hockey in the 1960's-1970's primarily.
  • milbrocomilbroco Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭
    How does PSA grade the rough cut cards. Do they take into consideration the prehistoric cutting methods for the rough cuts or do rough cuts get no higher that an 8?
    Thanks,
    Bob
    ebay seller name milbroco
    email bcmiller7@comcast.net
  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,582 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>How does PSA grade the rough cut cards. Do they take into consideration the prehistoric cutting methods for the rough cuts or do rough cuts get no higher that an 8?
    Thanks,
    Bob
    >>



    Bobbo,

    As long as the rough cut does not affect the corners, it will not knock the grade down at all. It's actually something a lot of collectors, myself included, welcome, rather than frown upon.

    Shag
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • milbrocomilbroco Posts: 2,731 ✭✭✭
    Thanks Shag,
    I guess I should send in some of my brothers cards. He has a set or two from the eary to mid 1970's of the OPC. I think he has the 1973 or 74 set, whichever has the brown hockey stick on the left side of the card. He bought mostly Topps sets from those years and they have been in plastic pages since.
    Thanks again,
    Bob
    ebay seller name milbroco
    email bcmiller7@comcast.net
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