1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Harry Howell #79 Norris Trophy Oakland Seals Raw (VG 3)

Description

1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Harry Howell #79 Norris Trophy Oakland Seals Raw (VG 3) This 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee Harry Howell, card #79, is a genuine Hockey Hall of Fame piece from a legendary defenseman's twilight season with the Oakland Seals. Howell spent the bulk of his career as the steady backbone of the New York Rangers blue line, and by the time this card was issued he had already claimed the 1967 Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, edging out a young Bobby Orr in what is remembered as the last Norris won by a "traditional" stay-at-home defenseman before Orr redefined the position. The bilingual O-Pee-Chee back, printed for Canadian distribution and text in both English and French, calls Howell "Old Reliable" and notes he had played more games for New York than any player in franchise history, a remarkable durability record for the era. It also references a severe back injury that slowed him the previous season, an injury that foreshadowed his eventual move west to Oakland as his playing days wound down. The reverse cartoon adds a lighthearted personal touch, depicting Howell building a golf course from scratch, a nod to his post-career interests. For collectors of O-Pee-Chee's distinctive Canadian issue, this is a scarcer and more desirable version of the card than its Topps counterpart, since O-Pee-Chee print runs were considerably smaller. the front photo shows clear evidence of a diagonal crease running through the jersey area along with visible surface roughness and corner wear that has rounded all four tips more than the other cards on this sheet. The reverse mirrors this, with pronounced corner and edge chipping and a textured, worn surface that suggests handling over many years, likely from a well-loved childhood collection rather than careful storage. Centering is reasonably balanced left to right. Because of the visible crease and heavier corner wear on both sides, this card is graded conservatively rather than optimistically; a crease alone is typically enough to cap a raw grade in the VG range regardless of other strengths. Still, for a Hall of Fame defenseman's O-Pee-Chee issue, this remains an attractive, presentable and affordable way to add Howell to a vintage Seals or Rangers-legend collection. Grade Estimate: VG 3