This is the set that started it all for O-Pee-Chee, the 1965 set. It consists of 283 cards, which were the Topps cards in the first three series plus 19 from series four. The cards were almost parallels for the Topps cards except for the words "Printed in Canada" replacing "Printed in USA.
Set Size: O-Pee-Chee - 283, Topps 598
Cubs in set: O-Pee-Chee - 14, Topps 29
The fronts are identical twins.
The OPC cards were printed on gray card stock as opposed the the white used by Topps. The copyright on the OPC cards doesn't say ©O.P.C, it says ©T.C.G., the Topps designation. OPC wouldn't appear until 1972.
The significant lack of differences between the early Topps and OPC cards is the reason it took me so long to finally get the OPC cards. It took a while to convince myself to spend a decent chuck of change to get cards that were basically twins to the Topps cards that I already have.
The limited number of OPC cards has made me settle for cards in lesser condition than I'd usually get. It's hard enough to find the cards from the older OPC sets, let alone fine cards in decent shape at an affordable price. As you look over the scans of my cards you'll notice lots of dinged corners and several creases.
It was a break for the wallet that Ernie Banks' 1965 card has a higher number, so he wasn't included in the OPC set. I still had to get one for Santo and Billy Williams, but they aren't typically as expensive at what you have to pay for Mr. Cub.
It's funny that at that point Topps was using white stock and OPC grey, when in later years it was the opposite.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking that myself.
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