Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey Delivers First Key Rookies – Since its debut in 2005, Artifacts Hockey by Upper Deck has been a core product in the company’s portfolio. It’s also been a favorite for collectors due to its early issue on the release calendar and the product’s higher-end feel at a reasonable price point.
In addition, Artifacts is the first hockey set of the year to deliver premium cards of key rookies. These factors all combine to make Artifacts Hockey a powerhouse in the hobby and a big hit on the secondary market. The 2015-16 Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey version is scheduled for release on October 7th, 2015.
2015-16 Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey delivers (3) Autographed or Relic Cards, (1) Rookie Redemption Card, (1) Card #‘d to 99 or less and (3) Cards #’d to 999 or less in Every Box! On average, 7 out of every 10 boxes will contain a card featuring either a patch, strap, stick, tag, six-swatch jersey or premium autograph!
In addition, 2015-16 Artifacts features a NEW and EXPANDED Rookie Redemption Program. The Top 5 Draft Picks will now feature a full array of numbered Memorabilia and Autographed Memorabilia cards., including 1-of-1 Black Foil, Patch Tag Autographs!
Here is a closer look at the product attributes that make Artifacts hockey a must have for collectors year-in and year-out.
- Early Release
- First Premium Rookie Cards
- Higher-End Content
- Reasonable Price Point
Early Release/First Premium Rookie Cards
As with other sports, hockey eases into its release schedule with a couple of affordably priced products. Artifacts is one of those products but has the added benefit of being the first set of the year to deliver premium cards of the new season’s rookie class.
As the name implies, game-worn/used memorabilia is at the core of Artifacts’ checklist. However, the focus on memorabilia doesn’t mean the product is light on autographs. On the contrary, the signatures incorporated into the build-out of the product through the years has provided considerable value for collectors.
This is particularly true with the brand’s, now legendary, Artifacts Rookie Redemption and Artifacts Autograph Rookie Redemption cards. Through the years, the realized prices for these cards has been very strong. Don’t you wish every non-autographed rookie card, numbered as high as 699, in your collection would routinely sell for $15 or more?!?!
What starts by looking like this . . .
. . ends up becoming this!
Such is the case with Tampa Bay Lightning future star, Jonathan Drouin’s Artifacts Rookie Redemption card from 2014-15 Upper Deck Artifacts. Drouin’s Artifacts rookie card is just one of dozens of examples of this being the case.
The autographed version obviously sells at a significantly higher price but is still within reach of most collectors creating a win-win for the seller and buyer.
Recently sold for $60
Through the history of the brand, collector’s have eagerly anticipated the announcement of each year’s Rookie Redemption players. Quite a buzz gets generated as collectors speculate on who the subjects will be.
Higher-End Content/Reasonable Price Point
As previously mentioned, Artifacts relies heavily on the use of game-worn/used memorabilia as a whole and not simply jerseys. Hockey, unlike any other sport, provides an abundance of creative options for product developers to draw from when building out a hockey card product. The nature of the equipment lends itself well to a product like Artifacts that can incorporate goalie gear, fight straps, pads, skates, face masks and more. Through the years, collectors have been rewarded with all sorts of unique trading cards thanks to the Artifacts brand.
Several unique insert sets have been at the heart of Artifacts since its inception. Among the most popular of these is Tundra Tandems which pairs two-players, usually teammates, and showcasing two jersey swatches or patches.
Another of these popular inserts is the aforementioned autograph set, Auto Facts. Featuring beautifully designed cards and some of the most legendary names in hockey, collectors are willing to pay top dollar for these gems.
With a brand name like Artifacts, no product would be complete without an array of colorful patch card offerings. Artifacts delivers these in multiple insert and subsets including the aforementioned Tundra Tandems and Treasured Patches. Again, these beautifully designed cards provide a high-end look without breaking the bank while still providing good value for memorabilia cards as evidenced by some recent sales prices on eBay.
Here is a look at some of the brilliant content Artifacts Hockey has delivered over the last few years.
Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey Delivers First Key Rookies Image Gallery
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