Archive for Collector of the Month

Every 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”.

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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”.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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Every 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 head north of the border to spend some time with Paul Boleska of Edmonton, AB.

Paul is retired from the law enforcement sector in Edmonton, but he stays active with hobbies like archery, board games and collecting trading cards. Paul has amassed over 700,000 trading cards in his collection, primarily consisting of baseball cards. He had been out of the hobby for awhile however, until he heard about Upper Deck’s massive 20th Anniversary Set consisting of 2,500 cards inserted into a variety of baseball products last year.

Paul Boleska holding one of the binders of his enormous 20th Anniversary Set.

Paul Boleska holding one of the binders in his enormous 20th Anniversary Set.

The set commemorates the first twenty years of Upper Deck’s existence with cards from all major sports including golf while also paying tribute to world history, pop culture, politics and technology. Upper Deck also included some very rare game-used memorabilia cards of players from a variety of sports that were typically only available one per case or 1:288 packs on average.

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“I was so impressed with the whole concept and look of the Upper Deck 20th Anniversary Collection, that I decided I was going to collect the entire set, including the memorabilia cards,” said Boleska.

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Although Paul Boleska had amassed a tremendous amount of cards since he got bitten by the card collecting bug, when he stated this project, he still considered himself a novice. Putting together a set this large would be a considerable challenge for even the most seasoned collector. Even now Boleska admits, “With my limited knowledge of collecting cards, I did not realize the true depth I was getting myself into.”

Paul was opening up a lot of product to get the cards he needed, but that would not be enough: he needed to reach out to other collectors, other shops, and get online to find the cards he needed to complete this monster set. “There were countless hours searching numerous websites for cards, hundreds of e-mails to fellow collectors from around the world requesting card lists, and then the purchasing of cards from as far away as Australia, China, Europe and throughout North America,” said Boleska.

Even though he was officially retired, this pursuit became almost like a job for Paul. “I was always asking local collectors to look for cards that I still needed, and constantly updating Wayne Wagner, owner of Wayne’s Sports Cards here in Edmonton with lists of cards still outstanding,” said Boleska.

Wayne Wagner of Wayne’s Sportscards congratulates Boleska on putting together the entire 20th Anniversary set.

Wayne Wagner of Wayne’s Sportscards congratulates Boleska on putting together the entire 20th Anniversary set.

The most important person in Boleska’s hunt however was the mailman who would on occasions bring him close to twenty packages a day with cards he needed from collectors around the world. Boleska shared that each day was almost like Christmas when the mailman came by with the latest additions to his collection. And then came the day when the last card arrived and Boleska’s collection was finally complete: a special day for sure!

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I asked him if he has plans to sell the collection. Boleska said, “Being a true collector, I have no plans on selling it at this time. This set took a whole year to build, taking around 2000 hours of opening of product, searching the web and sending hundreds of e-mails back and forth with collectors. I now spend the time going through the two binders looking and reading all the information on each card. I loved this product from the moment I first saw it.”

Congratulations Paul, it truly is a remarkable achievement and a very special set! If you are looking to put the set together yourself and would like some pointers, feel free to contact Paul Boleska at paulboleska@shaw.ca.

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Every 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.

On Veteran’s Day, Upper Deck announced the “Million Pack March for the Troops” program to encourage collectors to donate sealed packs to troops serving overseas. Upper Deck started off the program by donating 100,000 packs last month. So, to help get a little more exposure for this program, this month we are spending some time with Josh Mattson from Killeen, Texas close to Ft. Hood. He served in the U.S. Army for 13 years and retired in December, 2007.

Josh with his family.

Josh with his family.

We all have that moment when we saw a player who just blew our mind and made us question if we actually really saw what they just did. For Josh Mattson, that player was Barry Sanders. The former Lion great would routinely make plays that would make a Lion fan out of almost anyone (except maybe the team he was playing against). It was Sanders who made Mattson a die-hard fan of the Detroit Lions. It was Sanders who made Mattson want to collect trading cards and he’s been enjoying the hobby ever since.

Josh showing off two of his favorite Upper Deck Barry Sanders autograph cards.

Josh showing off two of his favorite Upper Deck Barry Sanders autograph cards.

“My favorite pull from Upper Deck NFL products would have to be my Exquisite Barry Sanders autograph serial numbered 02/30,” shared Mattson. “My prized possessions include my Barry Sanders and Matthew Stafford autographs along with the complete 2008 NFL SP Authentic set, including short-printed rookies. My dream card would be a Barry Sanders one-of-one autograph card, but those are VERY hard to come by.”

Josh showing off his complete 2008 NFL SP Authentic set.

Josh showing off his complete 2008 NFL SP Authentic set.

About three years ago Mattson was deployed to serve in Iraq (November 2005-November 2006). We asked him what he could do during downtime and he shared, “It is kind of rough. Downtime is pretty rare as is, but when you get it, you try and watch movies, call home, spend time on the internet, just anything to try to take your mind off all the stress related to combat.”

“It’s difficult to watch games over there and keep up with your team,” said Mattson. “You are just so busy, the games come on at such odd times, and it just gets difficult to try to keep track of. I can remember staying up until about 3:00am on my second deployment to Iraq in order to watch Super Bowl XL between the Steelers and Seahawks.”

Josh in front of his truck.

Josh in front of his truck.

With so many different people from so many places serving in the military, there were bound to be some strong opinions on whose team was better. “When I was deployed, my roommate was a big Vikings fan so there was definitely some verbal sparring since the Lions and Vikings are in the same division,” said Mattson. “I cannot tell you the amount of time soldiers discussed football, sports and players over there. We would spend hours debating who was the better quarterback, running back, etc.”

Whether you agree or not with the United States’ conflicts abroad, there is no debating the courageous service the men and women of the U.S. Military provide. When you think about how stressful your job is, just think about how much more stressful it would be to serve in harms way thousands of miles away from your family and friends.

Upper Deck believes that we should do whatever we can to make being deployed a little easier for our heroes abroad, which is why we came up with the “Million Pack March for the Troops.” Through a strategic partnership with Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that sends care packages to U.S. Military serving overseas, we are hoping to get 1,000,000 packs of sealed trading cards donated by Veteran’s Day 2010. In an effort to reach this goal, Upper Deck will match every pack donated by patriotic Americans.

“Everyone I knew in Iraq who collected really enjoyed it,” said Mattson. “Opening packs and trading cards in Iraq made you feel like you really had a piece of home with you and it was great to be doing something that wasn’t combat related. I had my friends send me some packs while I was deployed and when you receive them it’s an awesome feeling. It really takes your mind of everything and you’re actually excited.”

Josh showing off some of the best items from his Detroit Lions collection.

Josh showing off some of the best items from his Detroit Lions collection.

“Collectors should donate to Upper Deck’s ‘Million Pack March for the Troops’ because when you are deployed overseas, there is really no way to collect. You have no hobby shops, no way to get cards and certainly no reminders of the sports you love over there. Your donations could serve to make a lot of soldiers happy, to help provide them a real thrill, to help make them feel closer to home, and most importantly to take their mind off everything going on around them.”

Josh with a compatriot in Iraq.

Josh with a compatriot in Iraq.

Sadly, during his service in Iraq, Josh Mattson was injured by a roadside bomb on May 15, 2006. The bomb detonated about three meters from the front passenger side of the truck and shrapnel pierced the armor and was lodged in his left leg. Josh also suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and a broken left knee in the explosion. Josh continues to receive treatment at the VA hospital while he does physical therapy on his leg. He is working hard at his recovery and doing well. He medically retired as a Staff Sergeant due to his combat injuries December, 2007.

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Oddly enough we found Josh when he contacted us because he was thinking about those he left behind. He was looking to work with us on getting care packages to other soldiers serving abroad, before he knew about the “Million Pack March for the Troops.” With your help, Josh can focus on getting better and his own collection while we work on getting packs to the troops. We encourage you to donate sealed packs of Upper Deck trading cards for this program by sending them to the following address:

Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
Attn. Upper Deck’s Million Pack March for the Troops
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406

If you are looking to trade out your Lions cards or would just like to thank him for his service, Josh Mattson can be reached at jmattson76@yahoo.com.

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Every 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. This month, we spend some time with two brothers whose love for cards has helped them keep in touch. Meet Mike and Steve Centurioni.

Mike Centurioni holding a great Upper Deck Michael Jordan autograph card.

Mike Centurioni holding a great Upper Deck Michael Jordan autograph card.

Steve Centurioni showing off some of the better cards in his collection.

Steve Centurioni showing off some of the better cards in his collection.

Mike and his older brother Steve grew up in the Los Angeles area, and are both devout sports fans for their local Southern California teams. It was twenty years ago when Upper Deck first came on the scene that the two got their first taste of sports cards. There was a raffle at a school fair when they were little where they won some cards; once they had been bitten by the collecting bug, they were hooked. They would ride their bikes together frequently to visit their local hobby shop. After Steve got his drivers license, the new excitement came from driving across Los Angeles to attend card shows together. And as years went by, they now find themselves buying cards online, but they still love a good hobby shop or card show.

Like any good partnership they split everything down the middle and collect as a way of harnessing the great sports memories they have shared together. They’ve had their share of highs and lows as they open packs and find cards of their favorite stars. Their passion is the higher-end trading card releases where there can be a little more risk involved, but it all paid off earlier this year. Mike was opening up 2008-09 NBA Upper Deck Black when he discovered something very special: a Michael Jordan/LeBron James dual autograph, quad patch card. His hands were likely shaking when he saw that the card was limited to just one copy, a one-of-one.

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“It was an awesome reward after twenty years of collecting,” said Mike Centuioni. “I could not believe it! Thank you Upper Deck!”

The brothers have definitely had some luck pulling cards of Upper Deck’s oldest and most well known spokesman, Michael Jordan. Take a look at the two beautiful cards they’ve pulled.

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They’ve also been able to pull another older spokesman of Upper Deck from the Legendary Cuts series. Check out this fantastic Joe DiMaggio autograph cut card.

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Around the same time that Mike discovered that Michael Jordan/LeBron James supercard, his older brother Steve had to relocate to Dallas. Would that spell the end of their collecting days together? Not by a long shot! Their passion for trading cards has helped the two brothers keep in touch. They frequently send each other new cards they pull back and forth. They are also embracing technology by sharing breaks with each other on video exchange sites like YouTube. So even though they are separated by hundreds of miles, they are still connected by the hobby they love.

Earlier this year, Mike had a thrill when he got the opportunity to meet one of his boyhood heroes, Tommy Lasorda. “I met him at a real estate event I attended,” shared Mike. “He was very approachable and a total class act, it was awesome!”

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Mike will be visiting his brother in Dallas this Thanksgiving where they will watch the Cowboys take on the Raiders together. Besides seconds on turkey that weekend, you can bet they’ll also be going back to the closest hobby shop for seconds on Upper Deck boxes as well.

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Every 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. This month we spend some time with a Rocky Mountain Super Collector named Gabriel D’Arthenay.

I have been an avid sports fan all of my life growing up in Denver, CO and rooting for all of the home teams. My passion became Denver Broncos football. I started collecting at a young age, but my collection has really taken off over the last five years in particular.

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I started purchasing memorabilia for my sports room that included autographed items and game-used items from all sports. While I am very loyal to my Colorado teams, I also have a passion for Oklahoma Sooners football collectibles. I have been able to acquire a nice assortment of game-used jerseys and equipment from all of my favorite teams. Most of the cards shops in my area are pretty good about bringing in guest athletes, so by attending those events, I’ve been able to amass quite a collection of autographs.

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I attended a local signing at a card shop and that visit brought back memories of collecting cards as a kid. My passion for collecting memorabilia soon turned to trading cards. Trading cards today seem to have a lot of elements of the memorabilia I collect and the best part is they don’t take up as much room. The trading card industry has evolved tremendously over the last 15 years and it’s a lot more exciting than it used to be. With autographed cards, game-used memorabilia cards and so many other exciting innovations, I never would have thought trading cards would come so far when I was a young boy. For the last few years, I’ve been collecting the SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph sets. Check out some of them here:

SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 1
SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 2

SP Authentic Rookie Patch Autograph Pictures, Part 3

I became a Jay Cutler collector when the Broncos selected him in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.  Bronco fans had been waiting for the next coming of John Elway and I was certain Jay was that guy. I focused mainly on all of his rookie cards which were mostly autographed. My prized possessions include the higher-end rookie autograph cards released by Upper Deck. I found the holy grail of my collection last year at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. I purchased a 2006 Exquisite Collection 3-color patch autographed rookie card #d to 20. This card is by far Jay’s best and most valuable rookie card. Currently I own over 80 Jay Cutler autographed items.

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I was disappointed when Cutler was traded to Chicago, but I still believe he will become one of the better quarterbacks in the league. I decided to hold on to my collection in hopes that it will continue to gain value over time.

Besides Cutler, some of my favorite pieces include items signed by John Elway, Brett Favre , Champ Bailey, Adrian Peterson, Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan to name a few.

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I started to exclusively purchase Upper Deck Authenticated items which include pieces signed by Adrian Peterson, Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods. UDA is a trusted source of memorabilia and has a selection of the best athletes from the major sports. The best part is you know that you’re getting the real thing.

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I am excited about sharing my hobby with my children as they get older. This will all belong to them someday so I hope they will enjoy it as much as I do. Collecting is a passion and it takes a special drive and commitment to create a truly valuable collection that can be enjoyed across many generations. Sharing my passion with my family, friends and now all of you through the Upper Deck Blog is really special. I hope you enjoyed taking a look, especially my fellow Broncos fans!

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