For generations of Canadian hockey fans, O-Pee-Chee was THE card brand. Understanding OPC's history and significance is essential for any Canadian collector.
The O-Pee-Chee Story
O-Pee-Chee was a Canadian candy and gum company based in London, Ontario. Beginning in 1958, they licensed Topps designs and produced Canadian versions of their baseball sets — but printed with both English and French text, as required for the Canadian market.
For hockey cards, OPC was the dominant brand from 1968 through 1992, producing the definitive Canadian hockey card sets of that era.
Why OPC Cards Are Different
Hockey legends: OPC produced many of the most important hockey cards of the 1970s and 1980s, including Wayne Gretzky's 1979-80 rookie card.
Bilingual: All OPC cards have both English and French text on the back, making them specifically Canadian artifacts.
Shorter print runs: OPC cards were generally printed in smaller quantities than their Topps counterparts, making them harder to find today.
Condition challenges: Canadian winters and less formal collecting culture mean high-grade OPC cards are genuinely scarce.
The 1979-80 OPC Gretzky RC
Card #18 in the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee set is the most important hockey card ever made. A PSA 10 copy is one of the rarest and most valuable sports cards in existence. Even low-grade copies are worth hundreds.
Modern OPC
Upper Deck has licensed the OPC brand for modern hockey sets since 2009. Modern OPC sets include:
- Base cards (similar to UD Series 1)
- Retro design parallels
- Premier and Platinum premium versions
Collecting OPC Today
For Canadian collectors, focusing on OPC gives you a uniquely Canadian collection. Vintage OPC hockey from the 1970s and 80s is historically significant and increasingly scarce in high grades.