2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Parallel Guide

[RGM81]

With the release of OPC Update and two more parallels (Metal and Metal X) introduced to the market, a lot of folks have expressed confusion regarding exactly what is what. Two years after release it remains an ongoing and persistent issue for collectors. How does one tell a Metal apart from a Gold? A Metal X from a Metal? The image below is the spectrum of this year's Josh Gorges OPC set:


Top row, L-to-R: Base, Retro, Retro Blank Back, Retro Rainbow
Bottom row, L-to-R: Gold, Metal, Metal w/IP Auto, Metal X

The most problematic ones are, as you can tell by the bottom row, Gold, Metal, and Metal X. On first glance they look eerily similar, but there are some distinguishing features that can help you identify what you've got in your hands.

Gold: simple rainbow appearance, does give off somewhat of a refractor shine, player appears level with the background. For cards 1-600, released in original OPC; for cards 601-800, released in OPC Update.

Metal: appears dark, gives off only a silver shine, player appears somewhat raised out of the background. Released in OPC Update.

Metal X: rainbow appearance with a "tire tread" or "mountaintop" imprint, strong refractor shine, player appears somewhat raised out of the background. Released in OPC Update.

I've also got individual scans in my bucket (have to show off the PC!) that are larger and will allow you to look at each image in greater detail.

I hope this helps anybody that is still confused over the Artifacts-ization of OPC!

[HammerHawks]

Wow, great rundown! I thought I bought a Hjalmarsson Metal X but according to the scans and this info, I only got the Metal...no "mountaintops" on mine...

[geschrocks33]

So the update cards 601-800 do have a Gold, along with their Metal and Metal X parallels. Thats what was confusing me lol.

The rainbow of yours helps now. All I need is the Clutterbuck Metal X and Blank Back to complete the rainbow

[fleurynut]

Is it just me or did anyone else notice that some of the regular cards un the update set have a red/dark bown border along the top of the card instead of the gold border in the first issue? My box had 8 of these. Could there be another parallel that Upper Deck did not mention!!

Comments please!!

Also I am not sure if the update includes a gold version. It is listed on the Beckett On line Guide, but not on the update packages at all. I looked at all my "shiny" cards in my box and all the players seemed "raised" from the card surface. Also the Upper Deck site does not list a gold version on their checklists>

[j7records]

UD changed the name of the gold parallel to rainbow for OPC Update.
Gold in OPC = Rainbow in OPC Update.

[RGM81]

Is it just me or did anyone else notice that some of the regular cards un the update set have a red/dark bown border along the top of the card instead of the gold border in the first issue? My box had 8 of these. Could there be another parallel that Upper Deck did not mention!!

Comments please!!

You'd have to post a pic of the cards in question. My interaction with OPC-U consists of 3 packs and an eBay purchase so I haven't seen all of what's out there.

[geschrocks33]

You'd have to post a pic of the cards in question. My interaction with OPC-U consists of 3 packs and an eBay purchase so I haven't seen all of what's out there.

I think this is what fleurynut is referring to, here's an example:



The border is darker...another OPC mystery?

[RGM81]

Yeah that is pretty noticeable compared to the Gorges base card. Must have just put in a new toner cartridge!

[geschrocks33]

Yeah its weird, some of the base cards look like mine, and some look like your Gorges

[Mauri]

I've heard there's four versions of Metal-X cards. Mountains comes in dark and light, "non-mountains" comes in "smooth" and "vertical bars.

Whether all four versions exists for all 800 cards is unknown to me.

That means there's possible 10 versions of each of those 800 cards
-Base
-Gold/Rainbow
-Metal
-Metal-X Regular (this smooth version)
-Metal-X Extra Gold (this vertical bar version)
-Metal-X Dark Mountain Top
-Metal-X Light Mountain Top
-Retro
-Retro Rainbow
-Retro Blank Backs

The one who collects all 8 000 cards gets a free case of beer from me.