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.
-rngrfan
Posted to beckett.com
Sent to Upper Deck
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.
-rngrfan
Posted to beckett.com
Sent to Upper Deck