Why Does UD Keep Doing This?

[RGM81]

I don't understand this recent trend of putting multiple "rookie cards" in the main set that Upper Deck is going with in their 13-14 products.

First they did it with Trilogy, now they're doing it with SPx.

2013-14 SPx #142 Brendan Gallagher
2013-14 SPx #210 Brendan Gallagher /249

The #210 is the standard auto jersey that we've come to expect from SPx, but the #142 is the "foil" RC.

Why do this and confuse collectors?

[87sluggo]

Because......money?

More cards to chase means more boxes to crack in theory, or more singles to buy from the guys who are cracking more boxes.............

[CoolHandLuke]

They did it in trilogy and Panini also like to make it like you have many rookie. Starting 161 they call them level 1 or 2 depending on the print run. So the rookie are 100-160 and 141 to 160, those are SP RC. Just fix the set

[Gallinator]

They're just taking the focus on rookies to the logical extreme and seeking to cater to those who just want any card of their player AND those who want the low print-run examples. Just don't get excited when you pull one of the common ones. I agree, though, that it may be confusing to the average collector.

[30ranfordfan]

It's simple:

We told them that cards have to be in the mainset to be rookies..... and we told them that only rookies or really limited will be valuable. They're giving us more of what we want!

[sortguld]

So the foil are the"True Rcs"? not the au/jerseys

[RGM81]

I would personally consider the AU/JSY to be the RC because it's always been that way, and on top of that there's nothing at all sexy about the "Foil" version - it's actually hideous with the strip right across the middle of it.

[mingus_md]

I would personally consider the AU/JSY to be the RC because it's always been that way,and on top of that there's nothing at all sexy about the "Foil" version - it's actually hideous with the strip right across the middle of it.

I think that for Trilogy the card with the largest print run was the true RC.

[RGM81]

That is indeed the case - the /699 version. Which means that if Beckett follows protocol we're going to have non-auto, non-memorabilia, non-serial numbered SPx RC's this year.

*EDIT* Beckett has both cards tagged.

[canucksfan007]

Its because Upper Deck is trying to give us more value in our breaks. What better way to do that than to add in some additional rookie star power into the base set. Sure, the Rookie Auto Jerseys are the cards that will sell, but the non memorabilia / autos will still bring in a couple bucks here n there ..... not to mention there are SPs.

If they are really just adding more "hits" into the box, without taking away the usual auto / jersey / rookie hits ... thats cant really be a bad thing.

It almost reminds me of 11/12 SPA, when they put that aweful Extended Rookie subset in it. They had the right idea, give the people more value in their breaks, they just made the hits too easy back then. Looks like they are trying to refine it.