Newest Ultimate Collection arrives next week
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Hockey Editor
Even during the dead heat of this summer, there are many collectors looking forward to the days when the air cools and ice arenas become a popular hang out.
Upper Deck is getting hockey fans in the mood when its latest release comes out next week – 2011-12 Ultimate Collection.
While on the high-end scale, Ultimate is a favorite among collectors with high-caliber autographs and sharp designs. Ultimate is scheduled to arrive on Aug. 7 with pre-orders around $100 a box.
Collectors will get one pack per box with four cards including an autograph, a Rookie Card, a base card and a memorabilia card, on average.
If collectors are looking to break a case, look for four or more patch cards, up to two 1997 Legends Autographs, one Ultimate Auto Rookie SP (numbered to 99) and one autographed memorabilia card.
By the preview images, there are a number of big names in the set – but, of course, low-numbered. Wayne Gretzky has a couple of autographs in Ultimate, including one where he’s paired with Mario Lemieux.
Ultimate combines many veterans and retired players with rookies. But some of the rookies will be tough to predict this year before the NHL season gets underway (that’s mid-October for those looking at their calendar).
Susan Lulgjuraj is the editor of Beckett Hockey magazine. You can email Susan here with ideas, comments and questions. Follow her on Twitter here.
Very cool design but still too expensive for the average collector, I mean 100 bucks for four cards and one of those is a base card thats pretty pricey. The 1/1 cards look outstanding with the NHL logo1
Who said this product is for the ‘average collector’…?
After SPGU and SPA were met with mixed results, here’s hoping Ultimate can turn things around for UD.
@Darren no one said it was for the average collector however just thinking on a broader spectrum shouldnt it be for the average collector? I know I would rather have a huge collector base buying an affordable very cool box of cards rather than a smaller collector base not buying that many. At any rate I will be buying a box or two but just my opinion I think UD should take a look at the “average” customer.
Upper Deck has a license to produce NHL, so how can this product not be good. Upper Deck should just stick to NHL and Soccer.