Upper Deck's Full 2010-11 Calendar Revealed

[RGM81]

Last night there was a chat session with Chris Carlin and yours truly participated and had a couple of questions answered. Foremost of interest for me was the product line-up for this season - I've been curious to see what UD will do with only 11 products as opposed to the 22 from years previous. It has all been confirmed:

Victory - Early August - out now!
Artifacts - Late October
Upper Deck Series One - Mid November
Black Diamond (w/Ice) - Late November
O-Pee-Chee - December
SP Game-Used - December
SPx - Early 2011
Upper Deck Series Two - TBD
SP Authentic - TBD
Ultimate Collection - TBD
The Cup - TBD

Also confirmed are Priority Signings for the Fall Expo, a limited GTA release of a Toronto Maple Leafs 15-card set, and National Hockey Card Day.



They've also promised some interesting other releases along the way. Not sure what that means.

The status of Be A Player is still TBD.

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Personally, I would have liked to see something new. Maybe it's just because everything Panini is new and unique to me this year, and because ITG has new products they're releasing, but this all seems like the same old stuff with a new face on it. There may be new subsets within the various products, but the products themselves are the same ones we've been accustomed to--and in several cases, accustomed to disliking--for the past several years.

Yes many of the key items are staples and will still be hotly desirable (YGs, SPA FW's) but is anybody getting all gung-ho for another round of SPx and Artifacts?

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

I can honestly say no. No one is getting gung-ho for SPx, Artifacts, even Series 2, SPGU, and Ultimate Collection! Should do an OPC Premier/Ultimate Collection combo and call it Premier Collection. Rookie Auto/Jersey cards /299 and SP /99. Premier Collection Rookie Auto NHL Shields, Premier Collection Rookie Auto/Patch /25 and a Black Actetate version /10. No manufactured junk though expect maybe the Pride Of The Nation set from UD Black in it.

[RGM81]

With Artifacts out now, and seeing several breaks, I wonder how people are feeling about it compared to Certified.

[MatsSundin13Rocks]

With Artifacts out now, and seeing several breaks, I wonder how people are feeling about it compared to Certified.

I don't see how Artifacts can compare to Certified but that is just my opinion. Just more better cards in Certified. Artifacts has better patch cards though overall but Certified has way better autographed cards.

[afholmes87]

With Artifacts out now, and seeing several breaks, I wonder how people are feeling about it compared to Certified.

I've only opened 4 packs of Artifacts, but I really like the design this year of the base cards and the Stars inserts. While Panini's base cards look nice, there are way too many parallels, and I don't like the look of their Fabric of the Game jerseys, they leave a lot of unused space and it makes the card look weird. I also don't like it how they call a 2 colored jersey with a seam a "prime" swatch, who's going to try and counterfeit a jersey card, unless they're calling it a patch? Clearly they haven't seen ITG's swatches as a nice 2 color with a seam is almost standard on any jersey numbered lower than 50. Personally, I wouldn't buy a box of either product, as I'm not the biggest Artifacts fan ever, but I wouldn't even buy a pack of Certified and no Panini cards will be in my collection that's for sure. As for SPx, I'm always a fan. I love the RC Jersey Auto's, they always have nice memorabilia cards with great combos, like Patrick Kane and Mike Modano, etc. and the Flashback Fabrics are always nice. I intend to buy a couple boxes of SPx as I have since I got back into collecting at the end of the 08/09 season.

[crzylx]

I've only opened 4 packs of Artifacts, but I really like the design this year of the base cards and the Stars inserts. While Panini's base cards look nice, there are way too many parallels, and I don't like the look of their Fabric of the Game jerseys, they leave a lot of unused space and it makes the card look weird. I also don't like it how they call a 2 colored jersey with a seam a "prime" swatch, who's going to try and counterfeit a jersey card, unless they're calling it a patch? Clearly they haven't seen ITG's swatches as a nice 2 color with a seam is almost standard on any jersey numbered lower than 50. Personally, I wouldn't buy a box of either product, as I'm not the biggest Artifacts fan ever, but I wouldn't even buy a pack of Certified and no Panini cards will be in my collection that's for sure. As for SPx, I'm always a fan. I love the RC Jersey Auto's, they always have nice memorabilia cards with great combos, like Patrick Kane and Mike Modano, etc. and the Flashback Fabrics are always nice. I intend to buy a couple boxes of SPx as I have since I got back into collecting at the end of the 08/09 season.

I've never been huge on Artifacts either.

I absolutely love the Upper Deck SPx series though. Beautiful cards.

[Prime B]

Victory - Early August - out now! - Good for the grassroots
Artifacts - Late October - Dookie
Upper Deck Series One - Mid November - Legacy brand, gotta have it
Black Diamond (w/Ice) - Late November - Dookie
O-Pee-Chee - December - Might be one their second best product after the Cup
SP Game-Used - December - UGH, though the stick cards might be a nice insert
SPx - Early 2011 - DOUBLE UGH
Upper Deck Series Two - TBD - Meh, but if you have series 1 you have to have series 2
SP Authentic - TBD - Annual rookie card staple
Ultimate Collection - TBD - At least they don't have OPCP, then it gets redundant here outside of the shields
The Cup - TBD - They better step this one up to a whole new level as their top product. It is tired, dry and in need of a SERIOUS overhaul.........like 3 years ago i needed the overhaul!

[Orfew]

I loathe the design of artifacts this year. Personally I would rather break certified. I have found the autos to be better and I really like the low numbered prime cards. for about the same price as artifacts I know I will get a decent rookie auto and a couple of nice gu pieces at the least. I am willing to give Panini some business. I opened a few packs of artifacts, I got a patch out of 25 -solid color on both pieces no interest at all. However, I same the same patch/50 with multi colored patches. I do not understand the thinking here. Let us make a low numbered patch and give it solid color swatches while more numerous cards get better patches? I noticed with Certified that the low numbered prime pieces have been carfully chosen so that the rarer pieces are more interesting than the more numerous ones.

Let the flaming begin I suppose---"you dislike UD" "you are bitter" "you are biased" "Panini sucks". Try to think of one not on this list

[mugatu471]

Victory - Early August - out now! - Good for the grassroots
Artifacts - Late October - Dookie
Upper Deck Series One - Mid November - Legacy brand, gotta have it
Black Diamond (w/Ice) - Late November - Dookie
O-Pee-Chee - December - Might be one their second best product after the Cup
SP Game-Used - December - UGH, though the stick cards might be a nice insert
SPx - Early 2011 - DOUBLE UGH
Upper Deck Series Two - TBD - Meh, but if you have series 1 you have to have series 2
SP Authentic - TBD - Annual rookie card staple
Ultimate Collection - TBD - At least they don't have OPCP, then it gets redundant here outside of the shields
The Cup - TBD - They better step this one up to a whole new level as their top product. It is tired, dry and in need of a SERIOUS overhaul.........like 3 years ago i needed the overhaul!

+1. SPx, SP Game Used, & Artifacts need to merge into one product.

[joecoolio]

That's a good lineup really... I'd like to see Trilogy, but SPGU seems to be more popular