First Look: 2014-15 NHL Artifacts hockey cards

By Stephen Laroche | Beckett Hockey Editor

Believe it or not, but 2014-15 marks the 10th season that Upper Deck’s NHL Artifacts brand will be on store shelves and some collectors may find that more value has been jammed into packs.

Traditionally released early in the season, Artifacts once again will offer up a strong mix of autographs, memorabilia and rookie cards along with an extensive array of parallels that are sure to have player collectors on the hunt.

According to the company’s recently-released product information sheet, the average 10-pack box is set to include one Auto or Auto-Mem card, one multi-player memorabilia card, two single memorabilia cards, one Rookie Redemption card, one parallel numbered to 99 copies or less and four subset cards (numbered to 999) or a Ruby Parallel (numbered to 499).

Case breakers will also notice a ton of solid hits coming up once in every other box on average. These could include Auto Rookie Redemptions (numbered to 99), Memorabilia Base Set parallels (numbered to 15 or less), Auto or Auto Memorabilia Base Set parallels (numbered to 12 or less), Base Set Black parallels (numbered to just five copies), Tundra Sixes (1:160 packs), Top 12 Rookie Sigs (1:480 packs), Buyback Autos (numbered to 25 or less) and the debuting Stick-to-Stick Duos (1:480) and Stick-to-Stick Trios (1:360).

The Stick-to-Stick cards are certain to be quite coveted and there will be Tape versions limited to just seven copies.

Upper Deck has also noted that seven out of 10 boxes on average with have a card featuring either a patch, fight strap, stick, tag or even six pieces of a jersey.

Stephen Laroche is the editor of Beckett Hockey and Beckett Basketball magazines. Have a comment, question or idea? Send an e-mail to him at SLaroche@beckett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Stephen_Laroche.