Collector of the Month: Richie Sliwinski
By · CommentsEvery month, Upper Deck will spotlight one of our valued collectors to showcase their collection. The great thing about sports collectors is that they are all very different in what they collect, how they collect items and what they do once they have them. One common trait is the passion they share that is seldom found in any other group. This month, we feature one of our favorite young collectors: Richie Sliwinski from Churchville, PA.
I first met Richie when I started working at Upper Deck almost three years ago. He was one of our Kid Bloggers and Moderators on Upper Deck Kids. To say the least, Richie was the pulse of the kids site, and provided valuable insight into what his fellow kid collectors were looking for from Upper Deck. Besides being one of our largest young collectors, Richie had the UDK points to prove it. By entering his Upper Deck card codes, he gained points that he could use to get various Upper Deck products, as well as other fun entertainment items like video games and iPods. Two such items Richie added to his collection are NFL Rookie Photo Shoot autographed footballs from 2008 and 2009, which are two of his most prized possessions, “Rookie autographed footballs are great because they feature some terrific young stars and it is fun to see which players turn out to be the real deal”.
Another favorite item in his personal collection is his Albert Pujols autographed baseball. “Pujols is my favorite baseball player”, Richie said, “So it has always been my goal to get his autograph”.
He is also very proud of his LeBron James Quad Jersey Autographed card that he personally pulled from a pack, since according to Richie, “Pulling something yourself gives the card more sentimental value”.
When asked what prompted him to start collecting, Richie states his love for sports as the main motivator. “I loved watching baseball, football, basketball, and hockey, so I thought it was cool to get cards of the players I loved watching. I also would read the sports section of my local newspaper every day and look at all the player’s statistics and team standings. This got me very interested in sports which led to my excitement in collecting sports cards”.
As his collection grows, so has Richie since our first encounters a few years ago. He has grown into a savvy collector who appreciates the sports as well as the athletes, and has a true passion for collecting. Over the past year, Richie has been asked to be a contributor to our blog, and has also been featured in Beckett Magazine in their “Reader Review” section, prompting them to include readers’ personal box break submissions in their magazine.
This kid has a great head on his shoulders, and when asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, he replied, “That is such a difficult question. I am not really sure what I want to be when I grow up but I hope to someday work for Upper Deck or become a sports agent”. Well Richie, go ahead and send over your resume once you hit eighteen years old, and we’ll work to find a place for you here at Upper Deck.
Popularity: 11% [?]
Finding Treasure and Myself at Upper Deck
By · CommentsI’m kind of a newbie and veteran at the same time.
I initially started out contracting in the Entertainment end of Upper Deck back in 2006, but I’m new to the office as of fall last year. I haven’t worked too much in the sports end of the company, but I’m by no means “born yesterday” when it comes to the hobby. I used to trade endlessly around my neighborhood, collecting every Michael Jordan card I could get my hands on. Grant Hill and Tim Duncan, too. The Upper Deck Shaquille O’Neal rookie card? I still have it, as well as that Alonzo Mourning. I can still picture the trade itself, sitting in my 2nd grade desk and trading Kris Kross’ “Totally Krossed Out” cassette tape for the coveted card.
When I first started working here in Carlsbad, I hadn’t touched sports for nearly a decade. However, the levels of near-fanaticism about sports and our hobby that electrifies this building cannot be denied. Within months, I was attending games, buying jerseys over the internet, and looking up our latest releases to see if they featured any of the “old timers” I loved. While there’s no Vladimir Konstantinov card for me this time, I did crack a Patrick Roy out of a Collector’s Choice pack we receive here for our “Pack Wars” event! I lept out of my chair a little bit when I saw the familiar face, but quickly gave him a sneer to let him know that I didn’t forget. Wings fans never forget.
And that Bulls fan in me? As someone who grew up just north in Chicago, I used to lace up my shoes and pretend it was I demolishing Patrick Ewing and making Spike Lee cry in the stands. And I never figured my job would bring me in touch with a piece of history. Helping out down in our warehouse yesterday, I got to actually touch a piece of the old Chicago Bulls hardwood floor. I may or may not have faked a couple jump shots on it as well! Sure, it may be all old news to the people who are plugged into the collecting world that we have this piece of history, but it’s all new to me as someone who is only recently getting back in touch with it all. And now I can own a piece of it!? I wonder if they can deduct this Upper Deck Authenticated piece straight out of my paycheck…
Initially, when I came over to Upper Deck, it was a like fulfilling a wish I never knew I had until it happened. For some kids, maybe it’s like playing Nintendo games during their youth and then going on to work on the Wii. For me, this is about leafing through old binders and wondering what the 12-year-old in me would say if I told him that he’d be the one behind the cards someday. It didn’t quite hit me at the time, but how many people get to touch a product that will go on to bring about joy and memories to people young and old across the world? And thankfully, that dream hasn’t faded a bit as each little nook and cranny in the building has some sort of secret hidden in it. Maybe next time I’ll stumble upon a Dwayne Wade signed jersey hanging on the wall or get to meet LeBron James like others at the company have. It’s amazing to be able to see everything here for the first time, both as an adult and the kid grown up and you’ll be able to find me out there—this time on the internet— trying to trade some of my early and mid 90s rookie cards for some of today’s stars.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Oscars Remind Collectors About Michael Oher Cards
By · CommentsMichael Oher’s story The Blind Side has become a national sensation, raking in millions at the box office and making the Tuohy family into celebrities. This whirlwind of coverage culminated last night with a Best Picture nomination and a Best Actress win for Sandra Bullock, the actress who played Leigh Anne Tuohy in the film. Having such amazing success in the theatre didn’t just resonate with Oscar voters, as collectors have recognized Oher as a 2009 hobby all-star as well. Even after The Blind Side moves into Hollywood’s back log of great movies, Oher’s career will continue to be a testament to overcoming a difficult life.
I saw The Blind Side when it was first released around Thanksgiving of last year, and even wrote a post for this blog detailing my observations of the film. I could not help but feel great about its message, and even said to my wife that it was an Oscar contender at the time. My predictions came true, and Bullock won her first Academy Award playing a person that brought hope to many people over the last few months. The three subjects of the film were present at the Oscar ceremony Sunday night, and for many of us, it was the first time we got a look at the person that Bullock had so wonderfully represented.
For those of us who watched the draft before the 2009 season, Oher was a prominently featured prospect during the entire telecast. Though he was the last person present in the green room at the end of the first round, he didn’t look a bit disappointed. At the time, we only had what ESPN was commenting on, but now, thanks to the recent success of the movie, we know why he was just happy to be there.
Don’t get me wrong, Oher deserves all the credit he gets from what the movie displayed about his background. He is a great player, and anchored the offensive line of the Ravens during a season where injuries forced him into the starting lineup at left tackle. Though he had played right tackle for a good portion of the games before, he fit right into his role that was chronicled in the movie. He eventually moved back to the right when Jared Gaither returned from his injury, and played every game during the 2009 season and playoffs. After the 2009 campaign was done, he was named to the NFL All Rookie Team, and is primed for a sizable contribution to the Raven’s 2010 Super Bowl hopes.
Oher’s cards initially responded very well to the release of the movie, earning him some of the top values ever for a non-skill position player. As of the release of SP Authentic, his cards have not dropped at all. His SP Authentic rookie auto redemption consistently sells higher than some of the players more prominently featured on their team’s offense, including some that were in the running for Rookie of the Year.
In addition, his Ultimate collection rookie card (one that doesn’t feature an auto) is still among the top selling non-autographed cards of the set, which shouldn’t be surprising. It is one of the first ones to feature a game photo of him in his Ravens garb, and it is one of my favorites out of all of his rookie cards.
Oher was also featured on some dual autos in SP Signature Edition, which many collectors jumped on as soon as they had the chance. The cards pair him with Ole Miss alum and other offensive line prospects, and are some of the more valuable cards in the set.
Now, I have been in the hobby for a long time, and I have never seen anything like what Oher brings to the hobby. It’s very rare that a movie subject brings on as much value as The Blind Side did for him, and I don’t expect that will ever go away. I think it’s just as much a result of his exceptional play, as it is the wonderful job done by author Michael Lewis in writing the book, and John Lee Hancock in directing the movie.
It’s tough to say whether or not Oher will continue to live up to expectations set during a great first year, but I will comment that he has shown great determination. Because of his uncanny skills, he shouldn’t have a problem continuing his success, but the NFL is more than just skill. Regardless of how he does in the seasons to come, there will always be a great movie built around a truly amazing story. Because of that fact, collectors will continue to seek out “Big Mike” as an addition to their collection. I know I did not hesitate to add him to my list of players to cheer for, and I suspect that I am not alone.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: 14% [?]
Will Innovation Be Lost?
By · CommentsHere’s the deal: I’ve been around this hobby for 20 years and have worked at Upper Deck for 12. I used to be the editor of Trading Cards magazine during the hobby’s heyday in the early ‘90s and spent ample time comparing, reviewing and writing about innovative sports card products. I watched price guides go up and down; industry trade shows catch fire with more and more excited collectors; and products being unveiled that made people stop and take notice. And more often than not, Upper Deck was the company that made people say: “Wow.” Very simply, they had products worth crowing about.
UD took the hobby by storm in 1989 with the release of its inaugural baseball set, headlined by the much-talked-about Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card (#1). That single, sought-after card catapulted through hobby price guides and reached as high as $150 on the secondary market. Its meteoric rise gave birth to more hobby periodicals and more price guides, not to mention hundreds of new hobby shops sprouting up throughout North America. Older, vintage sports cards were still on serious collectors’ radars, but it was Upper Deck’s initial set that made it possible for any collector to enter the market and turn a modest profit on their original investment. If somebody wasn’t seeking a quick return, they at least walked away with a better baseball card for their collection. The burgeoning hobby, as we know it today, was off and running.
Upper Deck’s debut baseball release also introduced the industry’s first-ever anti-counterfeit hologram on each of its cards. It was groundbreaking. That security device would revolutionize the industry, put competitors on notice, and force card counterfeiters out of business.
In 1990, Upper Deck introduced the first autographed cards in product with the release of its Reggie Jackson “Heroes of Baseball” inserts. Nolan Ryan autographed “Heroes” cards followed in 1991. Upper Deck debuted the hobby’s first-ever game-jersey cards inside Upper Deck Football in 1996. An actual game-used jersey swatch from the player was incorporated on the card front. In 1998, the hobby’s first digital trading cards, called “PowerDeck,” were unveiled by UD. Each beautifully designed trading card-sized CD-ROM was an audio/visual masterpiece that contained 60 seconds of video of the player featured! Babe Ruth bat cards and 500 Home Run Club member bat cards packed out shortly thereafter where an actual piece of a game-used bat used by the players featured was embedded on each of the card fronts. Collectors salivated at the mere thought.
Two years later, “Legendary Cuts” signature cards were released by Upper Deck, which contained the hobby’s first cut signatures of deceased legends and stars. High-end sets like Exquisite and Ultimate Collection were next. You get the drift. When it came to knocking the socks off of collectors, Upper Deck consistently delivered.
What I’ve noticed during my tenure here is that the folks at Upper Deck have worked hard to establish a loyal following of fans interested in purchasing a superior product. It’s as simple as that. So it’s a shame that after 21 years of dedicated service we’re no longer allowed to produce baseball cards showing MLB trademarks, logos and team names because we are, in fact, the company that attracted so many new customers to the category. They came buzzing like bees to honey. Topps may have had a monopoly on the baseball card market for 40 years, but things really didn’t start to flourish until UD arrived.
Its cutting-edge designs, full-color photography, glossy cardstock and anti-counterfeit hologram kick-started a hobby that was dying a slow death. But now the right to produce baseball cards goes exclusively to Topps, the industry’s 60-year-old grand-daddy, for at least the foreseeable future.
Major League Baseball believes that collectors are now the real winners with its decision to limit the playing field to just one licensed manufacturer. But does the collector really win in the end?
Popularity: 95% [?]
Brag Photo of the Week: Chris Paul Signs for UDA
By · CommentsUpper Deck is of course best known for trading cards, but we have a great memorabilia side of the company as well: Upper Deck Authenticated.
The uber-talented point guard Chris Paul did a signing for UDA on Tuesday. He signed the game-used jersey, shorts and sneakers he wore in a game against the Bulls on 1/29/2010. Check this out:
Note all the signed basketballs in the picture as well.
And of course, a personal inscription to mark what he did in that game is always appreciated by collectors:
Keep an eye out for these in our online store: they should be available in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can click here to check out all the Chris Paul items that are currently up for sale.
If you want to keep up to date with Upper Deck Authenticated, you can click here to join the Facebook page. Once we get up to 1,000 fans, we’ll be giving away this sweet item to one random fan:
We’re already at 856 fans, so you’ll want to join now!
Popularity: 17% [?]
