1979-80 Topps Hockey - An Homage

by BucCollector - 22 cards (Last updated on Dec 18, 2023)



1. 2023 Topps Throwback Thursday Star Wars #89 Grogu


Just discovered this 2023 Star Wars set, which includes 12 cards in the 1979-80 hockey design, four of which have variations. This list is chronological, so this entry belongs near the bottom, but I'm so geeked out to have an addition to the list that I'm putting it at the top for now. Read on!


2. 1979-80 Topps #175 Gordie Howe


1979-80 Topps was the first hockey set I bought in packs, and Gordie was one of the first cards I pulled. I also pulled the Gretzky rookie, but at the time I appreciated the Howe much more.


3. 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #279 Dave Keon


1979-80 O-Pee-Chee used the same design, of course, and offered an expanded 396-card checklist (The Topps set had only 284 cards). Dave Keon was OPC-only.


4. 1980 Scanlens VFL #143 Peter Giles


The 1980 Scanlens Victorian Football League set reused the design, replacing the team logos with the league logo and shifting the player name from the top to the bottom of the card. The set is entirely head shots; no action photography.


5. 1982 K.F. Byrnes Fire Department #1 Chemical Drums Explode


The 1982 K.F. Byrnes Fire Department set flipped the design and cleverly styled the crest and banner into a reel and hose. Byrnes also used this design in 1981, with red replacing blue, and in 1983, in white.


6. 1992-93 O-Pee-Chee - 25th Anniversary #12 Wayne Gretzky


The iconic Gretzky rookie was one of 26 classic cards reprinted as an insert in the 1992-93 OPC set, but the only one in the 1979-80 design.


7. 1992-93 O-Pee-Chee #220 Wayne Gretzky


OPC included 25 "Retro Look" cards in the base set, bringing back classic cards from 1969-70 to 1991-92 but with new photos. Naturally, Gretz was the 1979-80 choice.


8. 1998-99 O-Pee-Chee Chrome - Blast From the Past #1 Wayne Gretzky


The 1998-99 OPC set included a ten card "Blast from the Past" reprint insert set in the base set and parallels. The Gretzky card was the lone representative of the 1979-80 design. Here it is in Chrome...


9. 1998-99 O-Pee-Chee Chrome - Blast From the Past Refractors #1 Wayne Gretzky


and Refractor. There's also a Chrome Refractor version, but I'll wait until there's an image before I add it to the list.


10. 2001-02 Topps / O-Pee-Chee Archives #77 Bobby Smith


The 81-card 2001-02 Archives set included four cards from the 1979-80 set.

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Comments

Mar 4, 2022 - 5:26PM
BuccaneersDen

Gordie Howe is wearing a WHA New England Whalers uniform (Ruskowski was also in a WHA jersey as you mention). Another guy in the O-pee-chee set named Ron Plumb was wearing a San Diego Mariners (WHA) road jersey. I'm thinking the Gretzky RC jersey might have also been a WHA uni? Nice list though, didn't know about the baseball. 

Mar 4, 2022 - 7:16PM
Billy Kingsley

Pretty sure the Refractor and Chrome Refractor you mention are the exact same card listed twice.

Mar 31, 2022 - 2:46PM
SaintOrm

"Taxi Squad" starring Tony Danza as Terry Ruskouski

Apr 27, 2022 - 7:58AM
bevans

It's not a card, but this CD from the late junior hockey player Roberto Bissonnette deserves mention here.

 

Dec 19, 2022 - 8:40PM
BucCollector

@bevans Yeah, that's terrific.  



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