Author Archive
Remembering Brian Urlacher’s Chicago Bears Career Through Trading Cards
Posted by: | CommentsFor over a decade Brian Urlacher was the core of the stout Chicago Bears defense and now he has decided to hang up the cleats and retire. It is a sad day for Bears fans, but a good day for collectors to go through their collections to remember Urlacher through the significant amount of trading cards he has been featured on over those years. Since many of his best cards come from Upper Deck and Fleer, we thought it fitting to share some of our favorites from throughout his illustrious career. Enjoy!
Thanks for the memories Brian!
A Hockey Hobby: How to Get Started Collecting NHL Trading Cards
Posted by: | CommentsIf you are a hockey fan looking for a great hobby, then you should take a long, hard look at collecting NHL cards from Upper Deck. We are heading into a Double Rookie Class event for next season so now is the perfect time to start as you can capture twice the amount of great rookie content in one year’s worth of trading card products.
There are numerous advantages to collecting NHL cards over other sports. There are so many great players in the league that it is easy to find a favorite player or players to collect. Many fans love collecting memorabilia cards of their favorite teams which is great because hockey jerseys have some of the most beautiful and premium jerseys to be used on these unique cards. And nothing brings you closer to the game than scoring an autograph card from your favorite player!
Additionally you have an international fan base for hockey cards with die-hard puck lovers in the U.S.A., Canada and Europe in particular. In this age of computers, many hockey collectors engage each other and even conduct trades online through hobby related websites and message boards. Collecting hockey cards is an international experience!
And perhaps most importantly, it is a hobby that is best enjoyed with friends and family. Collecting is a hobby that provides friends and family to bond while putting together sets and chasing their favorite player’s cards. We have shared how families have enjoyed bonding over hockey cards in the past so if you are a father who loves sports, this is a perfect hobby for you to share with your children.
Collecting hockey cards is the perfect family hobby!
But one of the biggest concerns we hear from fans thinking about getting involved in the hobby is, “How do I get started?” Yes, collecting cards can be a little overwhelming and like anything, it takes some time to learn the art of the trade, etc. We asked members of Upper Deck’s Volunteer Alliance to provide some tips for fans who are thinking about getting involved in the hobby and here is what they had to say:
“I would start off with products like Upper Deck and O-Pee-Chee. Don’t jump into high-end products as you may get lost. These products offer a lot of cards at a reasonable price.” – Matthew G.
The flagship Upper Deck brand and O-Pee-Chee products offer hockey fans a large set to collect along with the thrill of finding other compelling insert cards!
“The most important aspect of collecting is determining what will make you the happiest to collect. Do you want to collect a certain player, a team or a particular set? I think a great product to start with is Upper Deck Series One and Two NHL cards. These boxes are loaded with everything from Young Guns rookie cards, to memorabilia cards to autographs. For collectors who like variety, these are products that deliver.” – Luis M.
“I think it is important to know that there is generally much better content in the hobby product than the retail versions of the product. I know when I first started I was just looking for the best price without realizing that the hobby product, while a bit more expensive, delivered much better value.” - Kyle M.
“Every person has their own way of collecting. Some like autographs while others go after certain players, that’s what makes collecting so much fun. New collectors should look before they buy and read the box to see what each set has to offer. And since every collector is different, there are always collectors looking for cards that may not be desirable to you. There are groups online where you can trade to get the cards you are after.” – Marty M.
“The biggest thing about being out of the game for awhile is getting a feel for the values again. If you undervalue your cards you could get ripped off and if you overvalue them, collectors will feel insulted by what you are asking for on them. The best way to get a refresher on values is to check completed listings on eBay for similar cards you have in your collection.” - Alex V.
“Being new to hockey myself, look for a team you like and get to know the players with trading cards. Follow them and the team on Twitter and Facebook. Read up on them and try to get your cards signed by the players after games. It makes collecting that much better when you have met the players and have that connection with them.” - Tim Y.
“Familiarize yourself with team or players you like and start small. Interacting with people on forums and not being afraid to say you are new to the hobby is a good way to get to know others and get more advice on how to build a big collection. If you are getting back into the hobby after some time off, do your research online to see what has changed and what some of your cards are worth now. And have fun with it!” – Griffin G.
And as you get started, you’ll want to make sure you space for your collectibles which means dedicating a little space for them. Most collectors have a room or at least a closet dedicated to their collections. The most important thing there is that they are stored in a safe are that is not too hot or too cold and is high enough to avoid issues with flooding or little hands if there are youngsters in the house. Take a look at Upper Deck’s Ultimate Fan showing off his collection of hockey memorabilia and cards!
One Could Argue the Chicago Blackhawks are the NHL Best Team to Collect
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s good to be a Chicago Blackhawks fans these days. The team has been extremely competitive since they drafted Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews giving them one of the best tandems in the NHL. And they have great support with loyal fans getting behind the team along with celebrity fans like Vince Vaughn, Jim Belushi, Michael Jordan and this season, even Mr. T.
For card collectors one could that the Chicago Blackhawks are the best team to collect for a variety of reasons. Yes, they are playing great and yes they have a lot of great stars playing for them today, but in terms of collecting, I think it is the uniform that puts them over the top. The biggest reason they are the best team to collect in my opinion is just how beautiful the game-used jersey patches look on trading cards of Chicago Blackhawks players. The jerseys are so colorful that there is a tremendously diverse grouping of premium patches to use for these cards. Take a look at just some of our favorites from over the years!
For the Chicago Blackhawks, even two of the same card can look very different because of the colorful patches on the jerseys.
And behind every great team are great players. When you are collecting a team, you want to have some big stars on the team that are desirable to all hockey fans and the Chicago Blackhawks certainly deliver that with the serious Jonathan Toews and free-spirited Patrick Kane. Take a look at some of the better cards of these two Upper Deck has produced over the years.
Lastly when you are collecting a certain team you like to have a strong lineage of legends with the franchise to collect as well. With legendary NHL stars like Stan Mikita, Jeremy Roenick, Bobby Hull, Tony Esposito and others to pull from, Chicago Blackhawks collectors can score big!
And there is plenty of great memorabilia to be had as well to help decorate personal Man Caves and sports bars throughout Chicago dedicated to cheering one their favorite franchise. Take a look at some of the awesome authentic signed collectibles for Chicago Blackhawks stars available from Upper Deck Authenticated.
Sure the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings have a little more history (and certainly more Stanley Cups), but the Chicago Blackhawks are an Original Six franchise in a great hockey city that are playing at the top of their game right now. And for team collectors of the Blackhawks, things are look-Kane good!
Next year is going to be crazy for hobby shop owners with the 2013-14 NHL Double Rookie Class in Upper Deck hockey products so it is important they know who you are so they can help you get the Upper Deck NHL product you want next season. An event like the Double Rookie Class is a HUGE deal in the card industry where collectors can score two great crops of rookie talent in one year’s worth of products. Shop owners will have their phones ringing off the hook as fans look to score trading cards of these top rookies and will be willing to pay top dollar for them.
But as a collector, what should you be doing to prepare for this historic event?
In my opinion the best thing you can do is to make sure your local hobby shop owner knows who you are and that you appreciate them. And I think you need to start doing that today. These hobby shop owners are going to be your best resource to secure product from the 2013-14 NHL season and if you are just another face in the crowd, they may not be as inclined to take care of you like they would their other customers who have been loyal to them during the lockout and this season.
You don’t need to spend a lot of money with them in order to stick out of the crowd either. Here are some tips to make sure your hobby shop owner knows you so they will hopefully take care of you with new 2013-14 Upper Deck NHL products for the Double Rookie Class season.
Bring Them Lunch
Find out what the staff at the shop like to eat and bring them lunch one day during the week as a thank you for all they do to help you with your collecting needs. The quickest way to a hobby dealer’s heart is traditionally through their stomach so grease their wheels with their favorite food and they likely will not forget it. During lunch make sure to talk up how excited you are for the Double Rookie Class so they know to take care of you next season.
Help Out Around the Shop
There are always things to be done around the shop. Offer to help out by cleaning off displays, putting together sets, pricing cards, taking pictures or perhaps getting them set up with a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account. Donating a little bit of your time to help make their shop better will likely go a long way with the dealers and make them want to help you when you find a product you want to go after for the Double Rookie Class season.
Take Them Out to the Ball Game
You don’t have to take your hobby shop owner to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to make a good impression on them. Invite them to a local game where you can share your love for sports with them. Often they are busy and cannot attend, but just the invitation and thought can go a long way. By showing you are thinking about them, hopefully they will think of you when there is 2013-14 NHL Upper Deck products to be distributed.
Ask Them for Help
Get them involved in your collecting by having them help you complete a set you are working on. Most shop owners really love this and they likely have a little time to help with these projects now before all the hysteria begins around the Double Rookie Class. It’s a great chance to bond with them and share what you love to collect. When you finish, make sure to give them a lot of love on Facebook, Twitter and Yelp!
Just Be Around
Don’t be a stranger. Make sure you visit the shop and not just when they are running promotions. Sometimes when you visit and it is quiet you have a great chance to share your passion and get to know them better. Let them know what you want to collect from 2013-14 NHL Upper Deck products so they think of you when they get those order forms.
Unfortunately not everyone has a local card shop they purchase trading cards through. Some collectors do just great however by working through Upper Deck’s Authorized Internet Retailers to grow their collections. These Authorized Internet Retailers are going to be especially slammed for the Double Rookie Class season. Here are some tips on how you can stick out with them now.
Interact Online
Most of these dealers are very active online. On Twitter make sure you are tweeting at them and retweeting/favoriting their tweets. Share their posts on Facebook and interact with them there. Message them and ask how you can help them. There are plenty of ways to help online by sharing what they do well on hobby message boards and other places as well.
Box Review Videos
Create box break videos on YouTube where you give them shout outs and then shoot those over to them so they can use for content on their pages. Make these positive reviews complimentary to their services and they will likely be very appreciative. Upper Deck’s 2012-13 NHL SP Authentic is coming out soon and is a perfect product to do something like this with.
Offer to Help
Email them and ask them if there are ways you can help their business. Maybe they have a blog that you can write a story or two for. Whatever your talent is, use it to help them grow their business and they will remember you when the Double Rookie Class season comes.
This is the quiet before the storm. Collectors have about 2-3 more months before things start to get VERY busy for hobby shop owners with huge demand coming for new Upper Deck NHL products. Make sure you are doing your due diligence to stick out of the crowd so you can get the product you are after for this historic event. A double rookie class doesn’t come along every day. Prepare by showing some love to the people that will supply you with the product. Come this time next year, you’ll be happy you did.
For more on Upper Deck’s 2013-14 NHL Double Rookie Class, check out a couple videos from Upper Deck’s Authorized Internet Retailers on the subject.
Five Tiger Woods Collectibles Serious Golf Fans Should Own!
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s hard to dispute that once again, Tiger Woods is the best golfer on tour. With four victories now in 2013, including winning at The Players Championship, Tiger Woods is back at the top of his game. And collectors are taking notice, looking to score significant collectibles of this fairway legend. And because Tiger Woods is an exclusive spokesman for Upper Deck, we are pleased to provide fans with the world’s greatest memorabilia and trading cards of the world’s greatest golfer.
Here are five collectibles serious golf fans should have in their collections:
#5 – Upper Deck Authenticated Tiger Woods Signed Photograph
UDA creates a variety of signed photos of Tiger Woods that are the perfect brag collectible for golf fans. There are unsigned versions for those who are just getting started, but the serious collector will have a signed photo in their collections.
#4 – Upper Deck Authenticated Tiger Woods Autograph Curve Display
UDA has created a variety of Tiger Woods Autograph Curve Displays over the year, but they are all limited-editions and very unique. They look great in an office, home or man-cave and these attractive collectibles always seem to stop golf fans in their tracks. Some include actual range driven golf balls hit by Tiger himself!
#3 – 2001 SP Authentic Golf Tiger Woods Autograph Rookie Card
Most every collector has at least one 2001 Upper Deck Golf #1 Tiger Woods rookie card in their collection, but the crème de la crème of rookie cards for Tiger is his 2001 SP Authentic Autograph Rookie card. There are just 900 available and the price these days continues to climb. This truly is an investment type of collectible for the serious golf fan.
#2 – The Tiger Woods Sunday Red Signed Nike Polo
Nothing strikes fear in golfers like seeing Tiger Woods wearing red on Sunday. Now golf fans can own a Tiger Woods Sunday Red Signed Nike Polo exclusively from Upper Deck and have an absolute show stopper hanging on their wall. This amazing collectible is on the “must have” gift list for many dads and grads this time of year.
#1 – The Tiger Woods Master Collection
When it comes to the best collectibles of Tiger Woods, nothing beats Upper Deck’s Tiger Woods Master Collection set. Limited to just 200 total sets, this super-premium collectible features a bevy of high-end Tiger Woods trading cards that are sure to make you the envy of every golf fan in your life.
