1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL Jim Mankins #42 Ottawa Rough Riders VG-EX 4

Description

1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL Jim Mankins #42 Ottawa Rough Riders VG-EX 4 Step back to the golden era of Canadian football at Lansdowne Park with this 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL Jim Mankins #42 Ottawa Rough Riders card, a vintage single from the 115-card set that captured the league just as the Rough Riders were finishing a run of back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 1968 and 1969. Jim Mankins arrived in Ottawa as an American import out of Florida State University, standing six foot one and weighing 220 pounds, and he quickly earned a reputation as a punishing fullback who took pressure off his running mates with ruthless plunges into the line. The bilingual back of this card describes exactly that, noting his size and ability to become a superstar, while the classic green cartoon panel declares that Jim is the biggest halfback on the team. The front features the memorable kneeling pose in the black and red Ottawa uniform, football in hand, with the stadium stands stretched out behind him and the iconic bucking horse Rough Riders logo in the lower right corner. The 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL issue was printed in Canada and distributed only north of the border, making it far scarcer than its NFL Topps counterparts and a favourite of collectors who chase early CFL cardboard, Ottawa Rough Riders memorabilia, and Florida State alumni. this example presents well for a 56 year old card, with the front showing light rounding to all four corners, a touch of edge chipping along the white border at the upper left, and a few faint surface scuffs across the dark stadium background that are typical of this set. Centering is slightly shifted toward the left and top but remains pleasing. The black back displays strong gloss with clean text, no writing, no stains, and only minor corner softness, and I could find no creases or wrinkles under close inspection of the scans. Because the corners are softer than a true excellent copy and the set is notorious for chipping on the dark reverse, I am conservatively placing this raw card at VG-EX 4, a fair and honest grade that leaves room for a pleasant surprise if you choose to submit it for professional grading. This is a solid, affordable piece of Ottawa football history and a great filler for anyone building the 1970 O-Pee-Chee CFL set or assembling a Rough Riders team collection from their championship era. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4