1976 OPC Baseball "commons": Little respect among PSA collectors?

rbdjr1

I just won some nice PSA 9s (...and a few PSA 8's!) of 1976 OPC Baseball. Most here know just how tough this series is yet only a few star cards commanded any real "bidding attention", while the commons were left to me , "...to have my way with"! ...AND THAT'S SCAREY! LOL!


1976 O-PEE-CHEE DAVE LaROCHE # 21 PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE DANNY FRISELLA #32 PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE BUZZ CAPRA # 153 PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE TOM HILGENDORF # 168 PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE PAUL BLAIR PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE TONY MUSER #537 PSA 9 $ 9.99

1976 O-PEE-CHEE RICK BURLESON #29 PSA 9 $ 15.60

1976 O-PEE-CHEE WALT WILLIAMS # 123 PSA 9 $ 36.00


Now, I'm not complaining that on six of the above items, I was the "one and only" bidder. But how many times have I heard that the 1976 OPC baseball series is one of the toughest series to locate in high grade? Hey, there has been discussion right here on this thread about it!

I get a strange feeling in my gut when I can win a batch of cards so cheap, and in fact, being the only bidder on many of them, disturbs me a little, wondering if my decision to accumulate OPC's was a wise one?

edit: ...Then after a few minutes of "buyer's remorse", I'm happy again! LOL!


rbd

larryallen73

I am sure everybody on the O-Pee-Chee message board would you tell you 1) how scarce the '76 OPC's are and 2) what a great investment you are making. As for me, I will just say collect them if you like them.

julen23

bbcard economics are truly a social science my man.

i would be happy to have no competition in auctions i bid on!

congrats!

Julen

rbdjr1

<< <i>I am sure everybody on the O-Pee-Chee message board would you tell you 1) how scarce the '76 OPC's are and 2) what a great investment you are making. As for me, I will just say collect them if you like them. >>



I do like them! (OPC's that is!). Besides the low '1970s opc print runs and the way most opc examples were printed off-centered, I somehow have been attracted to the "rough cut" opc style of paper cutting that was done by those Canadian paper cutters.

I guess, if opc's commanded a larger price tag, I would not be able to accumulate them.

But, after saying all that, I do believe that vintage OPC's will someday command price tags commensurate with their scarcity.

rbd

larryallen73

But, after saying all that, I do believe that vintage OPC's will someday command price tags commensurate with their scarcity.

Just keep telling yourself that! Positive thinking helps they say.

I think one day offensive linemen football cards will be really popular so my Larry Allen collection will be worth millions!

mikeschmidt

It's a known fact that the more plentiful a set - the easier it is to collect. So in sort of a 'downward death spiral' effect, the 1976 OPC is so tough in high-grade, that many people simply won't choose to build it. That said -- there are many raw collectors of this and other OPC sets, but few have tackled a graded set. The English-only Topps sets are vastly more popular, to such a degree that, despite the overwhelming supply, the demand-side favors the Topps over OPC. Regardless, MINT condition OPC cards from the 1970s are decidedly rare. The lingering question will be whether or not it is valued for its scarcity in the future.

Overriding this, of course, are the player collectors who love their players and have lots of trouble finding high-grade examples from the 1970s OPC series. OPC HOF cards in 8, 9 and 10 carry significant premiums and likely will continue to do so as long as there is a prepondernace of Master Set player collectors out there.

Simply said - it is what it is. 1988 Donruss is a very condition set, but very plentiful. Rarer sets that aren't followed much may or may not command premiums, and right now 1976 OPC is not, but for star cards. It's a great quest you are on, Sir, but completing a very tough set in high-grade does not always equal riches in the long run.

As long as you're having fun, enjoy!

rbdjr1

<< <i>But, after saying all that, I do believe that vintage OPC's will someday command price tags commensurate with their scarcity.

Just keep telling yourself that! Positive thinking helps they say.

I think one day offensive linemen football cards will be really popular so my Larry Allen collection will be worth millions! >>



U seem to want to put a negative spin, on me posting some of my "OPC wins" from ebay here on this thead? Well, if that "rocks your boat", that's ok with me!

But many here have discussed the scarity of OPC's, especially the 1976 baseball series. And to pick-up six beautiful, high end PSA 9 examples, all at the opening bid of $9.99, I felt, was an interesting event, to share here. It does say plenty, as to lack of popularity of 1976 OPC series, an/or the lack of popularity of the entire OPC baseball series (maybe, with the exception of the "condition sensitive" 1971 OPC baseball series? And also OPC HOF high end OPC examples?).

While, an OPC collection of few thousand or so PSA 9's and PSA 10's may or may not be worth a premium in the years to come.

You, go right ahead an build-up a Larry Allen card collection. for the pure joy of it! And I will build-up an inventory of 1970's OPC's, not only for the "joy of it", but also for what I believe, just may turn out to be a "profit potential" in the years to come. And if not, ...well, "so be it"!

I'm really sorry if my continued posting of cards that I have won on ebay, disturbs you in some manner (that does disturb me!), as by your (2) postings here, it seems that it does bother you in some fashion. For that, I'm sorry.

I guess if you posted all the time about how excited you are about your new Larry Allen wins, and posted all those new wins here, all of the time,,,,

...some here, may just post a "comment or two" about your posting about Larry Allen aquisitions too (...but not I! LOL!)!

edit: opps! I just did, sorry!

rbd

larryallen73

I didn't mean to put a negative spin. Just joking around. Sorry you feel defensive about what/why you collect and these posts. Keep collecting because you enjoy and I really hope you are right about OPC being valuable one day because I have a lot of them too! Peace.

WinPitcher

I agree that positive thinking can only help.

With that said I also feel it is a good thing to collect these cards IF YOU ENJOY THEM. If your sole purpose in buying them is to reap a profit down the road then I think it would be better to buy a CD or a mutual fund.

Steve

rbdjr1

<< <i>I didn't mean to put a negative spin. Just joking around. Sorry you feel defensive about what/why you collect and these posts. Keep collecting because you enjoy and I really hope you are right about OPC being valuable one day because I have a lot of them too! Peace. >>



THANX!

PEACE BACK-AT-YA!

rbd

CON40

Bob;

I think you did well. Prospectively, I think the odds are in your favor that eventually OPC cards will gain momentum in the hobby. In fact, over the past year, I think they have, and it is evidenced by the increasing number of tough OPCs that are being offered on eBay. Two years ago, you'd be hard pressed at any given time to see more than 5 or 6 pre-1978 OPC high grade PSA cards being offered on eBay. The hobby is increasingly being drawn to condition scarcity. And as the pops for all those ubiquitous Topps cards keep rising, some collectors will assuredly become drawn to the vastly scarcer OPC issues.

Laugh all the way to bank in 2 or 3 years when OPC isues heat up in the way that other formerly "valueless" sets like 1968 Topps Game, 1965 Topps Embossed, 1961 Fleer, and all those "hand cut" cards have increased in popularity and value recently.

Stay the course!

mikeschmidt

<< <i>

Laugh all the way to bank in 2 or 3 years when OPC isues heat up in the way that other formerly "valueless" sets like 1968 Topps Game, 1965 Topps Embossed, 1961 Fleer, and all those "hand cut" cards have increased in popularity and value recently.

Stay the course! >>



Con40: You sound like someone who busted a box of '76 OPC and are sitting on high-grade stars from the set or something....

CON40

Con40: You sound like someone who busted a box of '76 OPC and are sitting on high-grade stars from the set or something....

Marc... Bob has already partaken of all nine high grade '76 OPCs I culled from that darned box!