Archive for Collectors
Do Moms Collect Upper Deck Trading Cards? You Better Believe It!
Posted by: | CommentsWith Mother’s Day coming up this weekend we asked our Facebook fans if there were any mothers out there who like collecting Upper Deck cards and we were surprised to receive so many responses. Having a mom that collects has got to be a dream come true for their kids and such is the case with Erica Jackson of Kingston, Ontario. Here is her story:
“Being a mother is one of the most amazing and rewarding feelings a woman can have. Collecting hockey cards was something I actually stumbled into. I was searching a local website and I found a huge lot of hockey cards up for sale. I thought it would be interesting to see what was in this collection. After buying and sorting the lot, and of course a trip to the store for the Beckett book, I was hooked.
One of our favorite moms; Erica Jackson shares some of her favorite Upper Deck NHL cards!
“Collecting cards allows me to have something I enjoy now, and my daughter can enjoy in her future. I will have something to leave to my daughter and her children when my time comes to leave this world. She will be able to keep them and continue to collect or she can sell them and use the money to pay for whatever she may need or want. I have been collecting for about three years now and I am very proud of my collection.
“Unfortunately a lot of my friends and family do not share my passion for cards. They know I collect, but do not understand anything about it. They have really never seen the sheer mass quantity and quality of my collection. I had to purchase a safe to keep everything protected, and I may have to buy a second!
Erica also has a very nice collection of signed memorabilia on display throughout the house.
“I am a Canadian girl so I like Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver, but I am also partial to the Detroit Red Wings. There are of course a few cards that I would still love to add to the collection and someday I hope to have them. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my collection and adding to it!”
Erica clearly chases the biggest names in the sport and she has a collection that would make most serious collectors jealous.
Wow! How cool it that? Thanks so much for sharing your passion with us Erica. Your daughter is very lucky! Look for a special Mother’s Day present from Upper Deck soon to thank you for taking the time to share your collection with our fans! Happy Mother’s Day!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Featured Collector – Donald C. and His Impressive Upper Deck Authenticated Collection
Posted by: | CommentsFrom time to time we love to spotlight our valued collectors on the Upper Deck Blog to showcase their collections. It seems like every collectors is different and we like to celebrate those differences here. Recently at a Michael Jordan event, we met a very passionate fan of our Upper Deck Authenticated memorabilia and he was kind enough to share a little bit of some of the very nice items in his collection. Here’s his story:
“My quest to score a Michael Jordan signature began in 1986. I was living in Indiana and had just got my driver’s license. I would pack my car full of friends and we would make the 45-minute trek to the old Chicago Stadium. Tickets back then were just $8.00 for standing room and we had a good time moving from seat to seat as the crowd came in to see MJ and ‘Da Bulls.’
“When the game was over we would wait for the players to drive through the fenced in parking lot and get their autographs. Michael had a pretty tricky way of exiting most nights by using two vehicles; a red Corvette and his Blazer. One would turn left going out of the stadium and the other would go right. I followed the Corvette one night hoping it would be the evening I finally land his autograph, but found it was Juanita driving the car. I felt like I had an open lay-up and out of nowhere got rejected.
“It got a little frustrating over the years trying to track down an authentic Michael Jordan signature, but after doing some research I found out he had an exclusive deal with Upper Deck Authenticated. When I realized how to get his collectibles, things got a little easier as I added a signed Michael Jordan baseball, a Six-Time Champion print, a jersey, a ‘Rare Air’ signed book, an 8×10 signature series card and one of my favorite pieces; the Nike ‘Wings’ poster. Each item was authenticated by Upper Deck and I felt pretty proud that I had put together such a comprehensive Michael Jordan Collection.
“In 1996 my company transferred me to Las Vegas, Nevada and I was happy to no longer suffer through the chilly Midwest winters. This happened to be the same year a young Tiger Woods joined the PGA Tour and he won his first event a few miles from my home at the TPC Summerlin. And with that I was ready to begin chasing another athlete who also happened to be an Upper Deck exclusive spokesman.
“In 1997 I volunteered to work The Las Vegas Invitational as a scorekeeper. As my group made the turn on the third round I realized I had left my sweater in the scoring tent. Maybe leaving the sweater was planned, maybe it wasn’t, I’ll never reveal, but I had to go back and get it right? I went back as Tiger came in to sign his card and I approached him after he finished up there. I asked him to sign a ‘Sports Illustrated: Sportsman of the Year’ issue for me and he agreed. We had a nice chat before he walked out to a see of admiring fans, it was pretty surreal as you could just see he was on the verge of becoming a superstar.
“I saw that a lot of fakes and forgeries would pop up through online auction sites I decided to invest wisely exclusively in the Upper Deck Authenticated items of Tiger Woods. The 5-Step process UDA uses really gives you a sense of ease as you know the item you are getting is legitimate.
“My Tiger Woods collection from UDA consists of two signed 2008 U.S. Open Pin Flags (one with and one without frame), the Black & White ‘Sweet Swing’ piece, both Dubai heli-pad framed prints, the ‘Breaking Through’ sand save piece, the large 2008 U.S. Open painting limited to just 66 copies and a range driven ball with signed card ‘Curve’ display. I love the quality of these pieces, but also added another Tiger signature to my collection when I ran into him in 2006 at the Buick Invitational. It has been really exciting to see that collection grow over the years.
“I have a pretty extensive collection of other UDA items as well that I have picked up through the years. I’ve grabbed some great jerseys from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and more. Additionally I have some more great photos from athletes like Roger Clemens, Cal Ripken Jr., Peyton Manning and Mark Prior to name a few.
“With two young daughters (23 months and 3 weeks-old) my purchases have slowed a bit. My new quest is to be the best father I can be and the girls have brought me a joy I never could have imagined. I guess my priorities have changed a little, but I still love the collectibles I have that help bring me closer to the athletes I’ve always enjoyed watching. And I’m still looking for a signed pair of Tiger Woods cleats to complete my collection, so if you happen to be sitting on any, leave a comment with your contact information below.”
Thanks for sharing your story and your collection Donald! You’ve got some really impressive items to say the least. And good luck with the girls, they are sure to keep you busy for the near future!
Popularity: 2% [?]
Help Upper Deck’s Featured Collector Track Down Lyndon B. Johnson!
Posted by: | CommentsThere is not much more exciting or frustrating than having one card left to complete a trading card set. Especially when the card in question surfaces about as often as Moby Dick. Such is the case with our featured collector for President’s Day; D.J. Patterson. And we are hopeful our massive fan base around the world can help him out to find that last card and complete a very impressive set. Here is his story:
“My name is D.J. Patterson and my quest for the 2009 Goodwin Champions memorabilia set started when I bought my first blaster and pulled the Chone Figgins memorabilia card. I had just recently gotten back into collecting after almost a 10-year absence. Drawn by the unique design of the ‘M’ swatch, I decided I would see if I could find more of these cards. By week’s end, I had managed to get 11 from local retail outlets and a friend had scored three for me as well. I looked up product information on your website and found there were 98 cards in the set, so I knew I had my work cut out for me.
“I checked eBay and was able to get majority of the set for quite cheap as some sellers had several of what I needed. I think I was able to pick up 13 cards I needed from one guy for around $20. I was also was able to set up some trades through some sports cards web pages. Most collectors are really helpful when they know you are working on a master set.
D.J. Patterson is on the hunt to put together the 98 card 2009 Goodwin Champions memorabilia set.
“Then I saw the print run list for the short printed cards. Luckily I had already gotten the Jose Reyes (100), Chase Utley (100), Kosuke Fukudome (100), Ted Williams (40), Michael Jordan (50) and Joe DiMaggio (20). All I needed were the Lyndon B. Johnson (5), Buffalo Bill Cody (5), and Paul Molitor (15).
“I had seen a few of the Molitor cards on eBay, but I had always been outbid at the last minute or found myself without reception when auction ended. After about two weeks, I managed to secure one when the auction closed early in the morning and luckily I was awake to grab it. And then there were two. All I needed now were the two most elusive cards in the set; Lyndon B. Johnson and Buffalo Bill Cody.
He has amassed almost every card, with the exception of the elusive Lyndon B. Johnson card.
“I checked eBay religiously to find them, often several times a day to no avail. I had friends checking around for me as well, but still nothing. Then I read in Beckett that the Buffalo Bill Cody card was a redemption. All I could picture was some kid pulling it out of a pack and tossing it away thinking it was a filler card. About a week later when I checked eBay, there was Buffalo Bill!
“The seller had it up with Buy It Now (BIN) or Best Offer (BO). What came from there was me sending offer after offer, repeatedly being told my offers were too low and then I heard nothing more. I had friends send offers, but they were stonewalled as well. Finally, I bit the bullet and paid for what he had it listed for. To this day it is still the most I’ve shelled out for any individual card, but in hindsight, I think I have the only one that has surfaced, possibly only one in existence since redemption ended this past August. (NOTE FROM UD: All five Buffalo Bill cards were redeemed and sent out)
This is a card you just do not see very often, one of just five copies in the whole world.
“The next week I was in Martinsville, Virginia visiting my parents and stopped by the local card store there. I was telling the owner Wes, about my continuing search for the elusive Lyndon B. Johnson card. He offered his help since he goes to several card shows a year. Every time I go in there, he asks about it. Sadly I always have to tell him I am still on the hunt. He says he never has luck at card shows either, but will continue to search.
“And that’s where I am. I have compiled almost everyone of the most comprehensive memorabilia card series of premium athletes and personalities, but have not been able to score that final card. Can someone help me find LBJ?!?!”
Here is a stack of his 97 cards. He's just missing one. Can you help him track it down???
When we found out about D.J.’s quest and lack of luck finding the Lyndon B. Johnson memorabilia card (featuring memorabilia from a coat he wore), we went back through our production notes and confirmed we created these cards and that they did indeed pack out. The trouble is there are only five in the entire print run. To make things harder on D.J., you don’t see a lot of listings for insert cards from a product that is three years old. As we said in the beginning though, we are hopeful our fans can help. If you’ve seen or are in possession of a 2009 Goodwin Champions Lyndon B. Johnson memorabilia card, please reach out to D.J. and let him know! His contact information is listed below:
Email: deejamahl05@yahoo.com
Twitter: @Preying_Hawk
Facebook: Dantre Tarperson
Popularity: 2% [?]
The Ultimate Marriage Proposal
Posted by: | CommentsWill you marry me? It’s a simple question, but it generally necessitates that it is done in a special way. Not a Valentine’s Day goes by where I don’t think of Upper Deck’s Ultimate Proposal. I found out one of our collectors was planning on asking his longtime girlfriend to marry him and asked if he would be interested in seeing if we could do something special for him. He agreed and we got to work on how we could make it happen. We came up with the idea of actually creating a trading card that could house the ring and sealing it in a pack of Upper Deck trading cards that she would open.
Our creative team was inspired by the task and worked to make a card that opened like a book that said, “Instant Winner” on the top and when opened, “Will You Marry Me?” with the ring housed inside. We were all very nervous as we sent the packs out to Mike DeRose of Chandler, Arizona. He was going to work with his hobby shop to get video him opening the packs with his girlfriend Julia Carvell. He told Julia that Upper Deck wanted to see videos of guys opening packs with their girlfriends and she bought it.
The stage was set. Here’s how it all went down from there!
We are so happy Mike let us be a part of this memorable moment. We would love to try to do something similar with a fan in the future. If you’re a fan of Upper Deck thinking about popping the question to the sports fan in your life, email us at UpperDeckMarketing@upperdeck.com so we can explore creative ways how we can help you make the most of that opportunity.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Featured Collector: John Stever Assembled The Avengers!
Posted by: | CommentsEach month Upper Deck spotlights one of its valued collectors to showcase their collection or pursuits. The great thing about sports collectors is that they are all very different in what they collect, how they collect. With Marvel fans getting more and more excited about the release of The Avengers movie this summer, there seems to be renewed interest in a product Upper Deck released this summer called The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War. Assembling this set required patience, problem solving skills and a key comic eye; which are all attributes John Stever possesses. Here is his story:
“I have been a Marvel comic fan for close to 40 years now and I bought my first trading cards 35 years ago. For over a decade I wasn’t really interested in either. Then one day I went into a Toys “R” Us in search of football cards for one of my younger brothers and I discovered Marvel cards. Sure, I bought the old Marvel sticker cards back in the ‘70′s, but these new cards had fantastic art. I bought some packs of the Marvel cards for two of my other brothers and one for myself. Well, before I left the parking lot all the Marvel packs were opened. My wife and I were instantly hooked. We’ve bought all the Marvel sets from the ‘70′s to present day.
“So naturally when Upper Deck announced The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War series, we had to have it. It seemed like it would be difficult to put together and there were not the same ratios for pulling rare inserts like sketch cards like in other UD sets, but I got three boxes figuring that I would be able to get an entire set of the story from that.
“I opened the boxes immediately when they arrived and realized this was a different kind of Marvel set where you are basically putting together the story yourself. The album would be a big help in doing that so I sent the redemption certificate for the albums in right away. I was pretty busy last summer, so I put off collating a set.
“While it did take awhile for the album to arrive, I was happy when it did as it drew me back to the cards. I finally sorted out my cards and found I was short 21 cards. I posted my want list on the NSU forum. I traded for 19 cards I needed and another forum member gave me the last two to finish off the set. During my first attempt at sorting I found I had extra character and retro character cards. I gave many of the triplicates to my nephews and nieces. After a long search on eBay, I was finally able to pick up a sketch card for a reasonable price since I didn’t pull any. Their rarity is keeping the price quite high.
“When the 19 cards arrived I figured it was time to put them into the albums. Thinking there might be too many, I stared backwards. The comic cards were a perfect fit. The album comes with the nine promo cards that I left in, which where the same cards being given away at select conventions last year. There was no room for the character cards, the retro character cards, and the cover cards; which is unfortunate. I will probably put mine in with my Marvel Beginnings cards.
“The comic book compilation cards are a neat idea, but not for everyone. The cover cards are nice. I really like the art in The Avengers: Kree-Skrull War set. Last, but not least, I love the character and retro character cards.”
Popularity: 2% [?]
