SOLD 1969-70 Topps Bert Marshall #80 Oakland Raw (EX-MT 6)

Description

1969-70 Topps Bert Marshall #80 Oakland Raw (EX-MT 6) Sharp-eyed collectors will notice something important about this card before reading a single stat line: unlike the other eight cards on this sheet, Bert Marshall's #80 is the American Topps issue rather than the Canadian O-Pee-Chee version. The back is printed in a distinctive blue-and-white color scheme, carries English-only text, and is explicitly marked "Printed in U. S. A.," all hallmarks that separate it from the teal, bilingual O-Pee-Chee backs seen elsewhere on this sheet. The front photography and hockey-stick border design are shared between the two companies for 1969-70, so the only way to tell them apart at a glance is the back, making this a great educational pickup for anyone building out their understanding of the Topps versus O-Pee-Chee hobby distinction. Marshall himself was a steady, physical defenseman whose specialty, according to the card back, was blocking shots; the write-up calls the "solidly-built, handsome rearguard" a Rookie of the Year candidate who broke in impressively with the Detroit Red Wings before eventually settling in Oakland. The cartoon adds a memorable, quirky detail that has become something of a hobby footnote: Bert is noted as the only hockey player to marry a dentist's daughter. Card fronts and backs from this Seals-era Topps and O-Pee-Chee run are popular with collectors focused on the short-lived California/Oakland Seals franchise, one of the more obscure and collectible expansion-era teams. this is the standout card of the group in terms of eye appeal. The front shows crisp, bright color separation with sharp corners that have only the faintest hint of wear at the tips, and centering that is close to dead-on with a small amount of extra white space at the bottom. No creases, scratches, or surface issues are visible. The back is equally clean, showing sharp corners, strong ink saturation, and only very light edge wear near the bottom border, with no creasing or writing. Given the strong centering, sharp corners on both sides, and the complete absence of creases, this card grades comfortably into the EX-MT range, making it a nice step up from the other cards on this sheet and a strong candidate for a collector wanting a higher-grade Seals card without paying graded-card premiums. Grade Estimate: EX-MT 6