1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Craig Cameron #13 RC New York Islanders

Description

1972-73 O-Pee-Chee Craig Cameron #13 RC New York Islanders Craig Cameron's rookie card from the 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee set is one of the earliest cards in the checklist and a cornerstone piece for any collection focused on the inaugural New York Islanders roster. The 1972-73 season was the first year of existence for the Islanders, and O-Pee-Chee's Canadian release documented that historic debut with a 340-card set that featured bilingual English and French text on every reverse, printed in Canada, and included many players who would become the foundation of the franchise. Cameron, a right winger who had previously been part of the St. Louis Blues organization, was claimed by the Islanders in the 1972 expansion draft and became one of the original members of the team's first roster, contributing to a group that endured a difficult inaugural season but laid the groundwork for future success. His rookie card, numbered 13 in the set, is especially desirable because low-numbered cards from this era are often more challenging to find in high grade, and the O-Pee-Chee version's Canadian origin adds an additional layer of collectibility. Cameron's career also included time with the Minnesota North Stars and other organizations, but his place on the first Islanders roster ensures his card remains a key piece of expansion-era hockey history. The 1972-73 O-Pee-Chee design is celebrated by collectors for its clean portrait photography, bold team colors, and comprehensive bilingual statistics on the reverse, making each card a miniature time capsule of the era. Collectors prize these early Islanders and Flyers cards because they document the foundation of franchises that would later define the decade, and high-grade examples from the 1972-73 set remain increasingly scarce as the hobby continues to grow. The O-Pee-Chee version remains the more complete and desirable release for Canadian collectors, thanks to its extended checklist and bilingual presentation. As with all vintage cardboard from this period, careful storage and handling are essential to preserving the condition and value of these classic hockey cards. The front shows light corner wear at the top right and bottom left with minor edge chipping along the bottom border, and the centering is slightly shifted toward the top, while the reverse carries its Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back with full statistics, bilingual biography, and a printed-in-Canada line, free of creases and with only light surface handling visible. Conservative grade estimate explanation: Considering the light corner wear, minor edge chipping, and slight top-heavy centering visible in the photos, this raw rookie card is conservatively graded EX 5. Grade Estimate: EX 5