O-PEE-CHEE NOT KEEN ON SPORTS CARDS ANYMORE

     After 50 years, O-Pee-Chee Co. Ltd. is "folding its hand as
Canada's major sports card company."  Instead, the firm will
"concentrate on its core business" -- gum and other
confectionaries.  O-Pee-Chee officials would not comment on the
reasons for the move, "and the company doesn't release sales
figures."  The company made hickey and baseball cards through an
agreement with Topps Co.  Topps, which holds the licenses, will
now deal directly in  Canada.  O-Pee-Chee was hurt by an NHLPA
decision to limit licensees such as Topps to two sets.  "The
North American sports card industry is recovering from a near
collapse in the early nineties caused partly by an oversupply of
cards, which deflated their value" (CANADIAN PRESS, 11/25).