1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Collins #265 Detroit Red Wings VG-EX 4

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Collins #265 Detroit Red Wings VG-EX 4 This second copy of Bill Collins from the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee series offers collectors a chance to grab the same beloved Detroit Red Wings single at a friendlier price point, which makes it perfect for team builders, set builders, and anyone who simply loves the era's bold color photography. The card carries every hallmark of the issue, from the saturated green studio backdrop and the vertical Detroit Red Wings lettering to the yellow nameplate and the circular winged wheel emblem at the lower right. O-Pee-Chee cards from this winter are prized as the Canadian printed counterpart to Topps, produced in smaller numbers and treasured for their bilingual backs that read like a tiny hockey almanac in two languages. The story on the reverse is a piece of hockey history in miniature. Collins joined the Red Wings midway through the 1970-71 season in the blockbuster transaction that sent Frank Mahovlich to Montreal, a trade still discussed by hockey historians today. Born in Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario, and listed at six feet and 175 pounds, Collins built his reputation as a penalty killer and checker who could occupy any forward position, and the bilingual text celebrates that versatility for English and French readers alike. His stat table charts his years with the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit, a honest working man's career that resonates with collectors who appreciate role players as much as superstars. this copy is honestly presented with a visible crease running across the upper portion of the card, accompanying whitening along the top edge, softness at the upper right corner, and modest border scuffing on the tan margins, while the photo area below the crease stays glossy and the centering remains balanced enough to display attractively. The reverse confirms the Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back rather than a puzzle back, with both languages crisp and the cartoon panel intact, though the top edge of the back shows the same roughness and crease line seen from the front. Because a crease caps the ceiling under any conservative grading standard, the honest estimate is VG-EX 4, and the price is set accordingly so the buyer gets genuine value. For Red Wings completists who need the number in the binder without paying premium money, this 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Bill Collins #265 fills the slot honestly and affordably. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4