One of the tougher Orr inserts

Note - blemish removed from picture after I determined it was goop on the scanner.

There are a number of sets that I’ve basically avoided dealing with because I know there’s a really nasty (read “both expensive and popular”) card in it that I really don’t want to try and get.  The insert set from 1968-69 OPC was one of these.  I have about eight of them, but had only picked up one (Lou Angotti) since the late 80s.

The ’68-69 inserts were glue-backed cards with player heads superimposed on a push-out puck.  The set is small, numbered only to 21 (with a special Gordie Howe 700th goal card as #22 of 21) and can generally be found in the $10-20 range (NM raw) with stars costing about double or so.

Except for one.

Bobby Orr’s card – number 4 (of course) goes for crazy stupid sums, even when dinged.  Bet on $200+ for PSA 7 and I’ve even seen KSA 5 going for close to $250.  It’s not as bad as the normal card from the set (which is almost always miscut and thus merits major dollars on the freak occasions when it isn’t), but it’s close.

So when I saw this one for sale at well below normal, I jumped all over it.  I figured there was some small blemish that was bringing it down, but if I couldn’t see it in the scan, it was either minimal, on the back, or both.  I could probably live with it.

Got the card and I was right on all counts.  The problem is small, on the back, and I’m more than happy to live with it.

Little wrinkle - just right of centre at bottom

This set is now in play.  🙂

Note – I say this is “one of the tougher Orr inserts” instead of “the toughest Orr insert” because the ’69-70 OPC inserts are awful.  One is the unpunched four-in-one panel and the other is the unseparated stamp.  Can’t say I’ll bother with either unless I find something crazy again.