`
Connect With Us!
IOS Store
Share Thread:
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
An Open Letter to Upper Deck
#1
Sad 
An Open Letter to Upper Deck
Tonight, I opened my second box of SP Authentic 2012-13 Hockey. Alas, it will be my last purchase of SP Authentic Hockey, perhaps my last Upper Deck purchase at all. Is it the price? No, I don't mind paying a higher price if I'm getting value from the product (Econ 101 stuff). Unfortunately, I don't think I received the value I should have been afforded when purchasing upper-middle tier product offerings.

I knew something was wrong after I looked at the stack of eight blank cardboard slabs and realized that I hadn't seen an autograph or relic yet. The only insert I'd seen was an UD 2012-13 MVP Update card and a 2012-13 MVP Update card. Not exactly pushing the envelope, are we? Moving on to the second stack of cards I thought, "ok, it's going to heat up now". Wrong again. I did receive a nice autograph, though - Carter Ashton with an on-card autograph. It was numbered 343/999. The only significance of the number is that it's the only numbered card I received. On to the third stack of cards.

Jackpot! Two autographs in two consecutive packs - Eric Staal on a "Sign of the Times" and Jaden Schwartz, also on a Sign of the Times. At least they were on-card autographs and not stickers.

All in all, this was an utter failure. I complete bust from the word "go". I've had frustrating breaks before, it's part of the business and we all have had them. This one seemed to be just a little too deliberate. There was simply nothing there. Breakdown:

Authentic Moments - 5
Team Canada Moments - 3
Foil/Silver Cards - 6
Common Cards - 96
Autograph Cards - 2
Upper Deck/MVP Update 6

Total it up for 118, meaning I am short two cards in a set with no relics and only a single short printed card. I did get eight heavy, very sturdy pieces of cardboard I can use in shipping. Bonus! This has to be my absolute worst experience and I just opened a box of 2013 NFL Prestige so you know I set my standards very low!

In any case, hopefully not everyone has gone through what I did. How are your breaks coming along? I was going to buy another box of SP next week. Is there a non-UD product I should look at first? My priorities are:

1. Uniqueness
2. Variety
3. Expand the public's knowledge of the game
4. Pictures that jump off the card
5. Getting that "difficult to sign" player

I'd say I'm 75% collector, 20% Peter Pan and 5% investor. Definitely in the "live for the moment" club although their meetings conflict with the procrastinator's club meeting. I've been meaning to go to that one. Maybe next week...

Feel free to share your experiences (good and bad) here. I don't want to beat on any one company so please keep it on-topic and rational (no "My dog ate my redemption card"). By the way, that one doesn't work. Smile

-rngrfan

Posted to beckett.com
Sent to Upper Deck
Reply
#2

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
I feel your pain, tough breaks like that really take the fun out of it. I do like the SPA this year, seems to be offering decent hits with hopefully an "extra" per box, typically I have gotten a 4th auto in almost all of the boxes. I have been very fortunate with some good pulls - couple Orr autos, couple Team Canada autos,got the Kreider auto RC (redemption), and actually pulled 2 - SOTT duals - same card! And pulled a Signature Stoppers Patrick Roy auto #/25 today. Seem to be hitting a decent hit almost one every box. One complaint, way too many redemptions.

I'm done now, tapped out. But this stuff can be hit or miss, when it hits it hits pretty good. Good luck if you open any more, and good luck with UD - keep us posted if they help you out.
Reply
#3

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
It's not my first SP Authentic this year. I traded some stuff in at my LCS and both times, received a box of SP plus other stuff for it. I was just completely shocked that only one card was a short run and there were no relics. My last box came after a box of Rookie Anthology and I was flying high because I pulled everything except the kitchen sink (in the RA box, the SP box was meh). I hope UD can figure out something for me. I pretty liberal when it comes to valuation so when I said wrong, wasn't kidding. I'm not talking about anything crazy here, just a poster of the NYR autographed by everyone. Smile You know; something simple...

Thanks for your story.
Reply
#4

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
I get what your saying, sorry I ran on about my SP pulls. I did have some similar luck (bad luck) with Parkhurst Champions last year. I had one box that was brutal, only 1 auto, missed pulling any multi player wire cards, didn't get much at all from the box. I contacted UD and told them my story. It took me sending a receipt, box top sticker and barcode to them and they sent me back I think 2 auto cards - common name autos, but they did send something. Keep on them and they'll do something for you.

BTW - I cracked a Rookie Anthology a while ago, it was terrible. I see all the breaks posted and everyone is raving about it. My box was terrible, seemed I was missing 3 or 4 pulls compared to what everyone else was pulling. I bought the 1 box and stopped buying that product. Stuck with SP and have been very happy.
Reply
#5

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
(07-04-2013, 08:13 AM)bgreenbg Wrote: It's not my first SP Authentic this year. I traded some stuff in at my LCS and both times, received a box of SP plus other stuff for it. I was just completely shocked that only one card was a short run and there were no relics. My last box came after a box of Rookie Anthology and I was flying high because I pulled everything except the kitchen sink (in the RA box, the SP box was meh). I hope UD can figure out something for me. I pretty liberal when it comes to valuation so when I said wrong, wasn't kidding. I'm not talking about anything crazy here, just a poster of the NYR autographed by everyone. Smile You know; something simple...

Thanks for your story.
Sorry for your break, but SP Authentic does not guarantee a relic card in a box. They guarantee 3 autos. From your break, I see that you were not short of an auto card. Nevertheless, it was a bad box from UD's SPA.

SSP
I pretty much collect what I pull !

[Image: ssp_nordiques_2-1.jpg]
Reply
#6

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
Looks like your box reache the required hits. Breaking boxes are a roll of the dice. Buying singles is the way to go. You know what you are getting.
Reply
#7

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
Looks like you box was on the average side. In my opinion, 7 of every 10 boxes will look like this when it comes to busting Sp authentic. The relic cards in sp authentic only fall on average 2 per 12 box case. This does not include the spx bonus pack this year. On average they are 3 per case

[Image: 35754349162_ed852a8323.jpg]

Bucket: https://www.flickr.com/photos/123198232@N04/albums
"ONLY TRADER ALBUMS ARE AVAILABLE"
Reply
#8

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
i don't see what the problem is here with your box?
Reply
#9

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
(07-04-2013, 03:50 PM)markshew Wrote: i don't see what the problem is here with your box?
I had thought that they came with a relic per box, didn't realize that wasn't the case. Between not having a relic and only a single serial numbered card, I didn't (and still don't) feel like it was a product worth spending $125 on.

~$15-$20 for Staal
~ $25 for Schwartz
~$15 for Ashton

After those three, of which Schwartz at 343/999 was the only serial number, all I have left are commons. Not impressive at all, especially after considering the not so insignificant cost for a sealed box of SP.

I'm really hoping SP comes through for me with something nice to compensate me for the aggravation and trouble.
Reply
#10

RE: An Open Letter to Upper Deck
so since you didn't get a $100 card in your box you want to cry to upper deck?
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)