11-12 Artifacts Rookie Redemption Auto /99

[yellowsuby03]

the rumor was sometime within the next week or so..thats what i remember reading on their blog site ( if i read it correctly) HAHA

[RGM81]

If they are hard signed that would be awesome...
quick question though, when are they releasing the list for the non-auto rc redemptions?

Last season the list wasn't announced until All-Star time. It's a smart move to delay as long as possible. Up until last week, the Montreal redemption was going to be either Rafael Diaz or Alexei Yemelin...by waiting a bit longer, now UD can use Louis Leblanc and generate more interest in the cards.

[RGM81]

Also, UD just confirmed with me that they will be stickers.

[TMLxCrosby87]

Thanks for the info Richard!

[RGM81]

We aim to please. :)

[mxaxtxtx]

Going to have to disagree with you on this one. Artifacts is consistently one of the products most busted...especially on these forums. The feedback on Artifacts this year has been nothing short of stellar by the majority of the hobby. No redemption cards outside of the RC redemptions, even for the auto/gu cards. The fact that Artifacts sell year after year and UD is willing to make the product better and keep the price the same is fantastic. If they just wanted to throw crumbs at their customers to keep the product alive, they would have just added the rookie autos. Instead, this year, they added the RC /99 autos, fight strap cards, and stick cards.The appeal isn't that UD is willing to put something new out...the appeal is in the fact that UD keeps adding to the product to give you more bang for your buck. People will buy the product anyway around, UD has no obligation to improve it...but they do.

They will almost certainly be stickers. The appeal in these is that they are *gasp* something new emanating from UD. Artifacts is a product that could likely be shelved at some point without it being really missed, so every so often they have to add a new element to add a little vitality to the program. Anything rookie and /99 will sell like hot cakes, especially if it's more difficult to obtain, as redemptions always seem to end up being. Try getting a hold of any of the 07-08 redeemed rookies parallels and you'll know what I mean.

[RGM81]

Of course it has a good following and decent amounts busted, it's the first product of the year that's got some content in it that collectors want. By the time SP Authentic and Contenders roll out, though, how many people do you see cracking Artifacts? It's a stop-gap and it gives us all something relatively enjoyable to break early in the season while we wait for the more desirable products.

As for the lack of redemption autos in this year's product, look at the checklist. Beyond the SSP'd A-level pulls (Gretzky, Howe, Orr) you have an absolute ton of cards that have "dollar bin" written all over them. It's total feast or famine as far as the auto pulls in the set go - you either get a retired superstar or an AHL lifer that they need to get rid of the sticker stock. A quick search of eBay's completed listings yields 78 results of cards under $2 and many of those are red numbers. For example, this.

I know that Artifacts has its supporters, and that's great. But if it were to be taken off the line for a year and replaced by, say, Hot Prospects, would that make UD's product line for the year better or worse? I say it would be better and I reckon that a lot of people would prefer the auto-mem RC's and other content that product offers.

[MattDMC]

RGM81 nice auction link I can see why it didn't sell who would want an auto like that?

That has got to be the worst I have seen yet.

[Craig2]

I'm assuming this is what the cards will look like, and I can't say I'm a fan. I don't like the way the sticker auto essentially cuts through part of the player:

http://upperdeckblog.com/2011/10/201...list-revealed/

[sharkattack]

I can't say I disagree. It would appear that the Artifacts as a whole aren't appealing...however, the prices people are paying for the Rook Redemptions Auto'd /99 are pretty hefty. RNH at over $300, Landeskog as high as $100, even Matt Read as high as $50 for cards people aren't going to physically touch until at least April if UD works at its normal pace. If not the interest then why are people paying astronomical amounts for Redemption Cards?

Seems there is some amount of hobby love for them presently. Those prices are fitting on card Autos, not stickers.