Puck Junk Podcast: 1990-91 Topps & O-Pee-Chee Hockey
Part 2 of the ’90-91 Retrospective Series
Episode #90: April 28, 2021
Thirty years ago was the “Hockey Card Explosion,” when hockey cards skyrocketed in popularity as several new companies entered the market. In the second part of this podcast series, Sal Barry and Tim Parish examine the often-overlooked 1990-91 Topps and O-Pee-Chee sets, including the insert sets and box bottom cards.
Show Notes, Links and Images: Write us a review at Apple Podcasts (link)
1990-91 Topps Hockey Checklist (Trading Card DB)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Checklist (Trading Card DB)
The Card Shop in the Basement of the Hat Store (Puck Junk)
Chicago Blackhawks – Minnesota North Stars Pregame Brawl (YouTube)
1990-91 Topps and O-Pee-Chee Hockey Card Images
1990-91 Topps #120 – Wayne Gretzky
1990-91 Topps #120 – Wayne Gretzky (back)
1990-91 Topps #348- Mike Modano (Rookie Card)
1990-91 Topps #175- Mario Lemieux
1990-91 Topps #175- Mario Lemieux (back)
1990-91 Topps Team Scoring Leaders Inserts #14 – Joe Sakic
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #527 – Wayne Van Dorp (Rookie Card)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #527 – Wayne Van Dorp (Rookie Card)
Note the text on the back that refers to the pregame brawl.
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #436- Alain Chevrier
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #430- Tim Cheveldae (Rookie Card)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #77 – Brett Hull…what a great smile!
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #461 – Tim Watters (Rookie Card)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #1 – Wayne Gretzky “Number One”
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #522 – Wayne Gretzky (Art Ross Trophy Winner)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #262 – Buffalo Sabres
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #75 – John Vanbiesbrouck
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #131 – James Patrick; note the incorrect border colors
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #214 – Jim Waite Top Prospect (Rookie Card)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Red Army Inserts #19R – Sergei Fedorov (RC)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Red Army Inserts #17R – Viktor Tikhonov (RC)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Red Army Inserts #7R – Arturs Irbe (RC)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Red #501 – Arturs Irbe – AGAIN! (RC)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #485 – Sergei B. Makarov (RC)
Not to be confused with 1990 Rookie of the Year Sergei Makarov
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee #445 – Sergei Mylnikov (Rookie Card)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Box Bottoms #G – Mario Lemieux
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Factory Set
Top Panel with Mark Messier & Nikolai Varjanov
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Factory Set
Front Panel with Bill Ranford (Conn Smythe Trophy Winner)
1990-91 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Factory Set –
Back Panel with some interesting players shown.
Follow Sal Barry on Twitter @PuckJunk. Follow Tim Parish on Twitter @TheRealDFG. Podcast opening and closing music by Jim “Not the Goalie” Howard.
Sal Barry is the editor and webmaster of Puck Junk. He is a freelance hockey writer, college professor and terrible hockey player. Follow him on Twitter @puckjunk
View all posts by Sal Barry
I know there were OPC Hockey factory sets for 1987-88 to 1992-93, and Topps Hockey factory sets from 1990-91 to 1992-93. Topps and OPC also made factory sets in the early 2000s.
I have a wax box of 1990 OPC waiting for me to open nothing really valuable but fun to rip. Bought a lot of the Topps back then but no OPC available. Interesting tidbit, the 1990 Bowman (Topps Co.) of Minnesota North Star Larry Murphy #177 is the same picture as the 1989 Topps and 1989 OPC of Larry Murphy, each #128. However, the 1990 Topps and OPC #47 of Larry Murphy is not the same picture used by the 1990 Bowman (and 1989 OPC and Topps).
Hi David, thanks for your comment. I never noticed that the Larry Murphy Bowman card recycled his photo from the previous year’s Topps card. Thanks for that tidbit of info.
Were they the only O Pee Chee factory sets Topps ever made for Hockey?
Hi John, thanks for listening.
I know there were OPC Hockey factory sets for 1987-88 to 1992-93, and Topps Hockey factory sets from 1990-91 to 1992-93. Topps and OPC also made factory sets in the early 2000s.
I have a wax box of 1990 OPC waiting for me to open nothing really valuable but fun to rip. Bought a lot of the Topps back then but no OPC available. Interesting tidbit, the 1990 Bowman (Topps Co.) of Minnesota North Star Larry Murphy #177 is the same picture as the 1989 Topps and 1989 OPC of Larry Murphy, each #128. However, the 1990 Topps and OPC #47 of Larry Murphy is not the same picture used by the 1990 Bowman (and 1989 OPC and Topps).
Hi David, thanks for your comment. I never noticed that the Larry Murphy Bowman card recycled his photo from the previous year’s Topps card. Thanks for that tidbit of info.