The O-Pee-Chee name has been a staple of the trading card hobby for decades. Upper Deck felt it was time to bring the brand into the 21st Century by producing a more premium edition using a variety of cutting edge technologies. To run us through that, we sat down with Upper Deck Director of Product Development, Grant Sandground for a behind the scenes look at what it took to build the new 2014-15 NHL® O-Pee-Chee Platinum trading card release.
Question: Why has the O-Pee-Chee name been so important to the hockey trading card market over the years?
Sandground: “The base O-Pee-Chee brand provides hockey collectors each year with the most comprehensive checklist of players for any product we produce. It’s the perfect set for hockey fans to build every year. It’s history as a brand, dating all the way back to the 1930’s, also makes it unique in the hockey market, providing memories of hockey trading cards for collectors of every age.
“With the all-new O-Pee-Chee Platinum brand, because the refractive parallels are so popular and such an integral part of the product, there are several pretty stunning parallel sets to chase. To that effect, we shrunk the base set down to 200 top stars (150 veterans and 50 rookies) to create the right balance for set builders and players collectors.”
Question: This marks the first time in several years where collectors have been able to get a hockey card product on metallic foil board. Was this something you heard that collectors wanted to see from Upper Deck?
Sandground: “We’ve heard from dealers and hockey collectors alike for the past several years who have been clamoring for Upper Deck to produce a trading card set on metallic foil board. We wanted to take the time to do it right by providing a 100% hard-signed product with an array of eye-popping parallel sets.”
Question: You did take a lot of time to bring this set to life for collectors by working with a variety of vendors to get the product right. What did you think of the final result when you started to see samples come in?
Sandground: “We had high hopes that the array of substrates, patterns and colors featured across the base set and parallels would provide O-Pee-Chee Platinum with some serious excitement from hockey card collectors, and we were blown away with how nice the finished cards turned out.”
Question: Unfortunately scans and pictures do not really do these cards justice, you really have to see them in person to judge their beauty. Which cards do you think turned out the most stunning?
Sandground: “The 1-of-1 Golden Treasures are disgustingly awesome. I’m also smitten with the Blue Cubes (serial #’d of 65 copies per card).”
Question: There are some pretty awesome die-cut inserts in this product, can you walk us through those?
Sandground: “There are three different die-cut Insert sets in Legends, Stanley Cup Champs and Superstars. Each insert features 20 subjects with seeding ratios of 1 in every 60 packs (cumulatively resulting in one die-cut insert per 20-pack hobby box).
“The Legends insert focuses exclusively on retired stars and the Superstars insert exclusively features active stars. The Stanley Cup Champs insert blends active and retired stars, featuring iconic moments from 1983 to 2014. All three insert sets feature 100% hard-signed autograph parallels limited to 10 or fewer serial #’d copies per card including signers like Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Steve Yzerman, Patrick Roy, Mark Messier, Martin Brodeur, Pavel Datsyuk, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, Jarome Iginla, John Tavares and Carey Price.”
Anze Kopitar shows off one of his Stanley Cup Champs signed insert cards from O-Pee-Chee Platinum.
Question: The investment Upper Deck makes in a set like this isn’t all about autograph cards or memorabilia cards, but rather, very impressive parallel cards on different foil board. Explain why some of these cards can be more compelling than a jersey or autograph card for example?
Sandground: “Many collectors love shiny cards and the new O-Pee-Chee Platinum product provides some of the most beautiful cards we’ve produced to date. Other collectors just get tired of another memorabilia card and this offers diversity for them. Though autographs and memorabilia continue to be primary elements in most modern era products, we never lose track of our focus on trying to provide hockey card collectors with beautiful and different cards. The variety this product offers should be a breath of fresh air for a lot of collectors.”
Question: There are however autograph cards in the product and they are all hard-signed. How difficult a decision was it to have this be a hard-signed product rather than using label autographs?
Sandground: “For us here at Upper Deck, it was a very easy decision to produce this product with 100% hard-signed autographs because we never even considered any other option. Putting sticker autographs on this metallic substrate is like putting a bumper sticker on a Rolls Royce. We challenged our Athlete Relations team to track down athletes for signings everywhere, including at events like the NHL All-Star Game. The end result is a product that provides collectors an opportunity to chase some of the nicest autographed hockey cards ever produced. When you couple the aesthetics with a lineup of signers including Upper Deck spokesmen Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr aside top rookie stars like Johnny Gaudreau and Aaron Ekblad, you’ve got a formula for a winning product.”
Tyler Seguin shows off his hard-signed O-Pee-Chee Platinum autograph card.
Shea Weber obviously likes the look of his O-Pee-Chee Platinum autograph card!
Question: Sometimes sets with various different parallel cards give “player collectors” a panic attack. What do you think is the best way for a “player collector” to attack 2014-15 NHL® O-Pee-Chee Platinum?
Sandground: “As a company, we’re very aware of the effect that too many parallels can have on the market. We try to pick and choose well thought out spots in our hockey calendar for ‘parallel-focused’ products like Artifacts and now O-Pee-Chee Platinum. With Artifacts, the parallels are based upon providing a rich array of different memorabilia, upgrading in quality as the print runs get scarcer. With O-Pee-Chee Platinum, it’s based on the stunning aesthetics provided by the refractive substrates, patterns and colors inherent to the metallic rainbow stocks.
“Obviously, the 1-of-1 Golden Treasures cards seeded within O-Pee-Chee Platinum pose the most difficult challenge a player collector can tackle, but many veteran player collectors have created sensible guidelines for how to build their collections by putting ultra-rare cards (typically #’d of 10 or less into a ‘wish list’ bucket whereby if they happen to stumble upon a copy and the price is right they scoop it up. For cards with print runs of 25 or more copies, we’ve seen an approach by many of these same collectors to ‘complete the rainbow.’ To that effect, though OPC Platinum provides a great chase for players collectors because the majority of the parallels feature print runs of 25 copies per card or higher.”
Question: Why is now the right time for Upper Deck to release a set like this?
Sandground: “I wish we could have done it sooner, but we wanted to make sure we produced a quality product that wasn’t rushed to market. We set our standards high for the aesthetics of the parallels and the delivery of the autographs (being 100% on-card). Our hope moving forward is that O-Pee-Chee Platinum becomes another of our benchmark brands in our hockey calendar.”
Don’t miss 2014-15 NHL O-Pee-Chee Platinum when it arrives in stores on April 1, 2015!
The staff here at Upper Deck couldn’t be more excited about the release of 2014-15 NHL® O-Pee-Chee Platinum, but we want to hear what you think about the product. Share with us in the comment section below the element of the product you are most looking forward to. We will select one of our fans at random who leaves an approved comment to receive a FREE box of 2014-15 NHL® O-Pee-Chee Platinum as part of our Random Acts of Kindness program. The fan selected will be contacted on Monday, March 30 at approximately 10:30 a.m. PST. Open to fans in the United States and Canada only.
109 Comments
Im very much looking forward to seeing the pulls on the legends set. How awesome would it be to pull an auto Gretzky? O Pee Chee rocks!
I’m mostly looking forward to set-building a smaller sized base set, that actually includes all the good rookies LIVE and not as redemptions and won’t be too costly to collect all 200 cards. The fact that it has such cool parallels and inserts is just a bonus.
THE STANLEY CUP CHAMPS AUTOGRAPH CARDS LOOK AMAZING!
I LOVE THE LOOK OF THE PLATINUM SUPERSTARS AUTOGRAPH CARDS! 🙂
I really like the Blue Cubes design that is awesome and of course Golden Treasures is always a great look Reminds me of watches I can’t afford (and some cards too)
🙂
I am most excited about the shiny foil parallels. I’m a sucker for shiny parallels. 100% on card autos is really nice added measure. Can’t wait!
The on-card autos are great. A good product to tide me over till the Cup comes out
This product looks awesome! This looks like the future of hockey cards. I can’t wait to pick this up. Good job UD!
What an amazing looking product! The element I am looking most forward to is the Stanley Cup Champs and Superstars inserts.
I started collecting hockey cards as a kid, my first set was the 1969-70 O-Pee-Chee, which I still have. I have all of the OPC sets up to 1990 and start again in 2006-07. This Platinum set seems like a real nice addition, kinda like the O-Pee-Chee Premier sets early, but much higher quality.
Looking forward to seeing these foils in person!
Most looking forward to completing the Rookie Autograph set!
Looking forward to opening this set! I’m most looking forward to seeing the shiny cards and all the colours.
Can’t wait for the April 1st release of this product! Real nice looking cards and I love collecting autographed cards. Looking forward to OPC Platinum cause it looks like there are a lot of autographs! Can’t wait!!!!
I can’t wait to see and maybe pull some of my own Sweet PREDS Cards with Mike Fisher in printing plate or foil hand signed
I’m really loving the fact that there are so many varieties. You have foil backgrounds, wicked parallels, hard-signed cards like you were at a meet and greet, die cut cards and a great assortment of autographs. These need to be in my collection, and everyone else’s too!
These are beautiful cards, can’t wait to grab some at my local shop.
Question is. Whats not to like..they look great, having blended a perfect old school flair into the design. Great looking set!
It’s shiny and hockey what’s not to like
Love the variety! Beautiful cards and I’m looking forward to adding them to my collection.
The on-card autos and the amazing looking die-cuts with metallic variations make this product look flawless! Another great job UD!
My two major collecting sports are Hockey and Baseball. While Baseball has had the chromie options available for a while, I’ve been dying for there to be a similar option for Hockey.
Much like how HD has helped better capture the speed and action of hockey, I’m excited to see the the pairing of UD’s always amazing photography enhanced even further with the “High Definition” metallic foil look.
The early pictures I’ve seen look amazing and cannot wait to rip into this product and build the set. Props to the whole team involved with this one.
This new brand looks amazing. I like the different versions of parallels. I like the way the autos look on the metallic stock. This is one of the best new products to come out in years.
I love the new die – cut featuring. For the die – hards in the industry, this product is a must have!
I’ve always been more of a collector, since that’s how I started. I only like cards that look cool, which these do. Would be great to win a box of this. Thanks for the chance at it, and good luck to everyone who has entered to win.
Looking forward to the Legend and Stanley Cup cards. Looking forward to starting the collection with my 7y/o daughter. Thanks again.
100 percent hard-signed…can’t beat it.
These cards are amazing! I can’t love the Aaron Ekblad card enough. Looks like a beautiful set!
It’s comfort. Takes me back to my childhood. The excitement of opening a fresh crisp pack and looking for your favorite players. Then the overall joy of having a great hit and showing all your friends. Those feelings all rush back with every tear of a pack. It’s what keep me collecting. Win or lose the contest, thank you guys for taking me back in time with every pack.
I think this is a superb step up from a popular set that like everyone has said, has been around for decades. Personally im only 17 and have been collection for about 10 years…. I know I started young, but that’s ok because of that time I have opened, purchased and sold many different types of cards whether they’re base, rookie, serial numbered, auto, or patch cards. I think these designed are superb and very eye catching and to me, two things stand out when I buy cards, the design of the card and the uniqueness and this, to me has both. I also thing this set would be good for kids, more so than others because it’s eye catching, a reasonable price, and both kids and adults will be sure to have a huge smile on their face when they pull any auto or numbered cards because well….. It’s shiny and who doesn’t like shiny things?!
I collect for my 2 sons , they love seeing auto cards , Jersey cards and just about anything. Even base cards seem cool to them. They remind me of myself when i first started collecting. I still have my first boxes of cards; they fill a large Rubbermaid bin
I like all the different variations and the fact that all the autos are on card autographs. I also like that David Pastrnak has more cards in this product for my Bruins collection.
These cards are so gorgeous! I love how shiny they are! I can’t wait to see more of the rookie cards
Hard signed autograph cards and loads of beautiful parallels! This set looks absolutely fantastic! Wish it was available here in the UK!
I’ve always loved O-Pee-Chees cards an this might be the best product they’ve ever put out. These cards will fly off the shelves and I cannot wait to get my hands on them. Great product boys.
THE CARDS ARE SO NICE LOOKING AND OF COURSE ADAM LOWRY IS IN THE SET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I like the modern feel you are giving to O-Pee-Chee with this product and the diversity of insert cards in the product, especially the die-cut cards. I also like the fact that the cards are really shiny and eye-catching, and have an array of different colors. I am looking forward to chasing the rainbow for the Bruins players I collect. The 1 of 1 Golden Treasures cards also look stunning.
I really like the Stanley Cup Champs signed inserts the most. Overall the set reminds me of the HoloGrFX set which I was a big fan of.
I really love this new set. It is sleek, modern, and beautiful. It’s name is a throwback but nothing compares to this set’s majesty.
I am looking forward to collecting rainbows of the islanders in the set it will probably cost a bit but i need the golden treasures okposo i love that there are a lot of parallels it gives me plenty to chase
I really like them great looking and nice cards it would be nice to get a FREE box since I can’t afford them
It would be nice to get those brand new beautiful cards since I can’t afford to buy cards
I never was a big O-Pee-Chee collector but OMG! What a great looking product. You have outdone yourselves! Consider me converted and a new collector of this great product! The cards are so beautiful, they are hard signed and they shine. Bling! Bling!
Looking forward to trying this stuff out!
Asking collectors their favorite aspect of this set is like asking a parent who their favorite child is. There is no wrong answer. If I HAD to choose, I would say the die cut autos. They are very striking, to say the least. Congrats on a job well done!
The OPC Platinum cards look great.
Puts a modern flashy twist to a classic card set that triggers amazing memories for me; while allowing my young collectors in the family to enjoy the visual euphoria it brings! Thanks for great product
They are soo shiny! Love Upper deck.. Will be getting some.
I have been collecting the OPC brand since 1985-86 forward. I love set building which alot of people have fallen out of love with over the years. With the infusion of the platinum addition gives another series to collect and with the addition of parallels give me the opportunity to chase rainbows and to build subsets. To me this is going to be a 5 star /5 star product. Thanks for the chance
Love the hard-signed rookie autos. I love it when I pull any autos out of a product. the design of the cards is pretty slick.
What do I like about it? Its outside what Upper Deck normally does. Not that the usual products arent terrific too. But this one is so beautiful and eye appealing. I can litterally sit here and stare at these images all day.
I am very excited about this new metallic adventure and look forward to more future releases like this.
Great job!
« Older Comments Newer Comments »