When I tell people I work for Upper Deck the first thing they ask me about is baseball cards and usually the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Upper Deck and baseball go together like mustard on hot dogs. So it has been disappointing for so many here at our corporate headquarters that licensing changes have greatly hindered Upper Deck’s ability to put out new baseball products. We have had some successes however like 2011 SP Legendary Cuts Baseball which was a product that consisted almost entirely of imageless cards, but we were able to come up with compelling designs to make it work.
We have a very passionate group of creators just busting at the seams to produce new baseball releases and when we first shared the idea of 2012 SP Signature Edition Baseball with a small group of distributors and shops, we received a favorable response. With autographs from 50 Hall-of-Fame players (including some who are now deceased) and a bevy of current stars and prospects, we believed we could build a checklist with a lot of fire-power for collectors. And with ZERO redemptions in the product, we knew we were coming up with something collectors would appreciate. Unfortunately we were not able to promote the product before release, but take a listen to Upper Deck’s product manager Grant Sandground as he shares what it took to bring this set to market and why 2012 SP Signature Edition Baseball provides an exciting pack opening experience.
The folks at Beckett recently had their opportunity to get a chance to check out 2012 SP Signature Edition Baseball as well. Take a listen to what they thought and what they pulled:
And there have been some pretty significant cards pulled from the product giving collectors a reason to smile.
We frequently hear at shows that fans miss seeing new Upper Deck baseball products and we have seen many going back to older releases just to get the value and content they miss. Additionally, we have also seen independently created groups like this one on Facebook who are rallying to see Upper Deck back in baseball. We appreciate that a strong fan base for Upper Deck’s baseball products still exist and to thank fans for their support and to give them a chance to experience the first stand-alone baseball release in over a year.
We want to give you a chance to open a pack of 2012 SP Signature Edition Baseball and try it out for yourself for FREE! All you need to do to participate is to review the short print checklist from the set and share in the comment section below which baseball player is your favorite in the set and why you would love to pull an autograph card of them in three sentences or less. We will give out twelve (12) packs to fans who most skillfully submit a compelling comment by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 13. We are using most of our sample packs with collectors here for this product as we truly want the fans to experience 2012 SP Signature Edition Baseball for themselves!
For those who score a free pack, let us know how you do on the Upper Deck Facebook page or on Twitter!
361 Comments
I would like to pull the BAL-2 Cal Ripken Jr. in Group E. Ripken Jr. was the whole reason I got started in collecting baseball cards, not to mention he is an amazing player! I am a huge Orioles fan, and even have the Orioles logo tattoo on my arm. There may not be many Orioles fans out there but I am one and I am proud to say that pulling my favorite player (Ripken Jr.) would probably be one of the best pulls of my life!
I would love to pull a Bo Jackson card. My dad played football with him in high school and told me all about how great of a person he was on and off the field.
Growing up as a Pirates fan in the 1990’s it was rough for collecting after Bonds, Van Slyke, & Bonilla all left. There was a void for MANY years of talent and collecting wasn’t fun anymore. The Pirates have rebounded (as you can tell by the division standings thus far) and have drafted well in recent years, so my player(s) would be the triple auto of Alvarez, Cole, & Taillon.
I reviewed the checklist and was like wow! This is the best autograph series to ever be assembled. With names like Ryan Sandberg, Nolan Ryan, Ernie Banks, and Mr October Reggie Jackson. This set is sure to hit a grand slam with collectors. I started schooling my son early about baseball and all of the stars. He is now 10 years old and It will be very nice to open up this product. Thanks Upperdeck for such a great product for a father and a son to collect!
how could you not want a jim thome? one of my all time favorite indians!! it broke my heart when he left, still one of the best power hitters!!
Mr. Cub Ron Santo would be an excellent piece of history. Not just a legendary player but an excellent announcer. I am a Cubs fan would truly appreciate an autograph Ron Santo card since I caught a walk off homer at Wrigley which Ron Santo called.
It would have to be Gary Carter. I became an Expo’s fan because of his playing days with them. The Kid was first-class on and off the field.
I am a San Francisco Giants fan. I think having one of these packs would help stop the bleeding that the giants have been giving me lately. When you get beat 13-2 in the last game of the first half that is rough. I did notice in a box break video that there are chances of a Will “the thrill” Clark autographed card. Would love to have that.
I would love to pull a Tino Martinez Auto.. When he replaced Mattingly he wasnt given much respect, but then he earned it as a classy player on and off the field and having many “Yankee Moments”.
i would love to pull tino Martinez because he was very inspirational for me as a young Hispanic American by his work ethic and skill in the pro baseball world
I would love to pull a Chipper Jones! I’m a huge Braves fan and watch every single game. I wear my Chipper jersey during every game but I don’t have his auto at all, and this is a great chance at winning one.
I think I would like to pull the Nolan Ryan card. My son is named Nolan Ryan Tate. Plus, it would make my Dad really jealous since it is his favorite player of all time.
Stan (The Man)Musuial not only because of what he has done on the field but for the hundreds of other contributions he has given to the community, and the world. He is a one of a kind guy who truely cares and is one of the best role models to ever grace us as fans.
My favorite player from the list is Trevor Bauer. Because I believe he is the next big thing in Arizona Diamondbacks franchise.
i would love to pull the quad auto card with reid brignac & david price of the tampa bay rays. my daughter and i are rays fans, her fav player is brignac and mine is price. we could share this card together!
Me and my brother have been collecting cards since we were little, and this year is the last year before I go off the college. We are really close, and cards is a special hobby we share together. It would be amazing to Have a chance to try these cards out. Thanks.
Tony Gwynn. Always a great hitter and I feel underated as a player. Saw him play in Walla Walla, Washington as it was close to where I grew up and fell in love with his swing. Followed his career with the Padres and would love to add his auto to my collection.
I’ve always been a fan of athletes who have that special combination of talent and pure hard work, who play at an elite level because they put the time in to get there. Those select few are who I pick for my role models and show to my kids so they can see what they can do if they get down and work, and that’s why I would love to pull an auto of the ironman, Mr Cal Ripken, Jr.
I would be ecstatic to pull a Nolan ryan auto. He was my fave player growing up and I missed a chance for his auto at old municipal stadium when my dad and I stood w rangers families after the game, but he left out the back. I have over100 of his cards but zero autographs.
I would love to pull a Tim “roc” Raines, went to a card show to get his auto 20+ years ago when I was 12. They told me I was too late, Tim’s manager heard this went and told Tim, He spend an hour with me, way to go Tim ur always a HOFer to me!!!’n
We all hope UD gets their license on not MLB but with the NBA. The challenges you guys put on with others makes the hobby.
I would love to pull a Nolan Ryan Auto, the first baseball game i saw was him pitching when he was with the Astros and I was hooked. I’ve been collecting Baseball cards for 30 years and I never pulled a ryan auto that would be cool.
I would love to get an auto of Fergie Jenkins being he was a great pitcher for the Cubs and is the first Canadian player to be in the Hall of Fame. Hopefully soon there are some other Canadians joining him in the Hall!
It would be an absolute thrill to pull out an autograph of the unsung tiger Al Kaline. Kaline is very under appreciated by common fans due to the fact that he played during the same era as Musial, Mantle, Williams, and Mays, who just overshadowed him. This card would go great with my other Kaline cards, including the 1955 Bowman of his I picked up at a flea market last week for a $1.
BOS-16 Dustin Pedroia would be the ultimate pull after a rough half of the season for the Sox and Sox fans! To bigger and better things in the second half.
Jim Thome, because last summer, my best friend Rich was losing his battle with cancer, and Jim talked with him over the phone. That meant the world to my friend, and I will forever be a Jim Thome fan!
The card I would most like to pull from the SP checklist is definately Nolan Ryan. A truely worth SP card as he was even more difficult to hit off of in real life then in this product. I hope I don’t strike out in this contest but if I do, why not to the king of the no-hitters?
I would love to pull a Ken Griffey Jr Autograph (SEA-3 Ken Griffey Jr.). He is the reason I started collecting baseball cards at a young age and I’ve been hooked ever since! I still to this day have not pulled a Griffey autograph, maybe this is my chance! I sure did miss Griffey while watching the Home Run Derby last night.
I would love to pull Mike Schmidt. If it wasn’t for him I would never have liked baseball and started collecting, growing up in Philly with the Phillies in the mid 80’s were bad times.
I would love to pull this card (WAS-11 Bryce Harper/Stephen Strasburg) as I’m sure so would many other collectors. But, for me, being a Mets fan, it’s like a do-over of Gooden & Strawberry that hopefully leads to much more fulfilling careers. And I love every second of it!
I would be excited beyond belief to have the distinct pleasure of pulling a Harper/Strasburg dual auto from a pack of SP Signature. These two phenoms are the future of baseball and although I’m a die-hard Yankee fan, these two young superstars have me looking at the Nationals in an unpure fan kind of way. Not to mention, I would be the envy of all my baseball card collecting buddies.
My mom’s boyfriend coached Kyle McClellan of the St. Louis Cardinals as a child. He never had children of his own, so he has always been particularly proud of Kyle’s Major League success. He may not be the most valuable autograph in the set, but scoring Kyle’s card would make for an awesome gift for him!
The card that stuck out for me was the Rod Carew card, because he was my favorite player to imitate when I was batting as a kid. His batting stance was the most memorable when I was playing with friends at the park and even playing wiffle ball! Also, I would pretend to have chewing tobacco like him, too.
When I was a kid, we had only three channels we could pick up with rabbit ears. One of them was the local ABC channel which broadcast occassional Red Sox games. Even though the Expos were the local team, I fell for the Sox thanks to Carlton Fisk (waving that homer over the fence… classic!) and later Rocket Roger (way before steroids muddied the waters). I even collected Fisk when he was with the ChiSox, but owning that Red Sox multi-signed beauty would be a possession I’d treasure.
I would love to pull a Will Clark Auto! I am a Die-hard Giants fan and have never pulled any Giants players autographs. Will “The Thrill” is one of my all time favorite Giants and he has a Great looking signature and would love to add it to my collection.
I really let my heart do the talking, and its Bo Jackson, hands down. As a kid growing up, he was my real-life superman, and “Bo Knows” was something that you could grab on to, because there was always a chance he COULD do anything he tried. I was a member of Club Bo, have every poster, and every known possible card produced of him, of course displaying my Upper Deck ones prominently in my collection.
As a Cardinal fan from the early 80’s, Keith Hernandez really stands out. The day he was traded to the Mets of all teams was a dark day in my childhood. Having his autograph on a Cardinal card would be great.
Depending on how I was collecting, for future value, I would choose the Harper/Strasburg Combo. For all-time great players, I would choose Koufax and if it was for personal, I would choose Bo Jackson – I grew up with Bo Knows and it just brings me back to my childhood.
Great to see Bo Jackosn on the list. Has the br the greatest athelete of my generation. His card would hold a very special place in the family display case.
As a longtime Pirates fan, it HAS to be the “Maddog” Bill Madlock ! An absolute hitting machine. Somehow the Buccos were able to acquire him in the 1979 season, and he was the final piece of the puzzle. Adding him to Dave “The Cobra” Parker, Willie “Pops” Stargell Mike “The Hitman” Easler and the rest of that team, it propelled the Pirates to the World Series, and eventually, World Champions !
Absolutely Bo Jackson. As a long time Royals AND Raiders fan, you can imagine what it was like having him play for two of your favorite teams.
I would love to get my hands on a Chipper Jones card because I have been lucky enough to have season tickets for the braves the last 5 seasons, and have loved watching the way he plays the greatest sport on Earth, baseball. Also I traded my Hank Aaron rookie card to get my hands on a Chipper Jones rookie card, because I could already tell Chipper had first ballot Hall of Fame talent.
Without a doubt, it would be Ryne Sandberg and his always excellent signature. Ryno’s defense made him my favorite player when I was a young player. He’s still at the top of my list, so much so that my wife I named our son Ryne.
Sandy Koufax. I would love to pull a Sandy Koufax Auto. I have been wanting a Koufax autograph for years and years. Sandy has always been a favorite of my family, and I can’t afford to buy a Koufax auto. So pulling one would be amazing!
For me, Bo Jackson is the coolest player on that list. His 1987 Future Stars card is one of my favorites of all-time, and I have to agree with Dick Sahaap who called Bo one of the greatest athletes who ever lived.
Great video guys, also great product as well great varation of cards, koufax would be an awesome pull, one of my fav pitchers!
Mike Schmidt, because i got his ball glove when i was four and he has always been my favorite player. Pulling his autograph would mean alot to me and be a huge cornerstone to my personal collection.
I would love to pull a Nolan Ryan (TEX-1) card. As a kid I grew up watching him play for the Rangers and would cheer every time I saw him play. It’s been a huge dream of mine to one day own an autograph card of his, and why not make it from one of the best products in the world, SP Signature Ed?!?!
Being from Canada. my team during the 80’s and 90’s was the Montreal Expos. I still hate the fact that we had the best record in Baseball in 1995 and a great chance for a World Series Ring. But the strike robbed us of that chance. To be able to pull the Vladimir Guerrero SP auto would greatly help ease my pain.
It would be absolutely awesome if I could pull a Luis Aparicio card because I am a longtime white sox fan and he is one of, if not the greatest player in franchise history. He was the “strength up the middle” that the sox used to propel them to the 1959 world series.
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