1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Real Lemieux #36 Rookie Los Angeles Kings Raw (VG 3)

Description

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Real Lemieux #36 Rookie Los Angeles Kings Raw (VG 3) This authentic 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Real Lemieux rookie card offers collectors a phenomenal glimpse into the first wave of NHL expansion. Despite wearing a New York Rangers uniform in the photograph, the card text highlights his deployment with the newly formed Los Angeles Kings. Known for his tremendous foot speed and heavy checking style, Lemieux was a foundational piece for the expansion Kings squad. This particular issue is highly prized as part of the landmark 1969 OPC set, which marked the official transition of Canadian hockey card manufacturing into its own distinct, beloved brand identity separate from Topps. The card features bold registration on the front portrait, surrounded by the distinctive woodgrain stick border layout. Flip it over to find a clean Canadian O-Pee-Chee bilingual back complete with French text and a whimsical hockey cartoon. The reveals notable surface wear that impacts the grading tier. There is a visible scratch present on the front surface, interrupting the gloss and design layout. Outside of this surface scratch, the centering is shifted off-center left-to-right. The corners show handling wear and modest softening at the tips, while the edges show typical rough-cut friction. The reverse is clean, but due to the prominent surface scratch, it receives a conservative, honest vintage grade assessment. Grade Estimate: VG 3