Hey, is that a can of worms? My God...it's open! Yep. Upper Deck lost their license, decided that they were going to back date a couple sets to 2009 and created a set that everybody seems to love. And why wouldn't they, apart from removing the name of the team from the card design and taking out the "official" rookie card logo, everything is the same as it always was. These are regular cards. One problem: there are trademarked logos on the players' caps and helmets in many of the pictures. Other than that, no big deal. So, before Upper Deck gets sued out of existence [ed. note:
Oops, too late!] and/or these cards get pulled off the market never to be seen again, I thought we might as well release this checklist gallery before things went sour.
After all, these cards are nice. I mean, the "hits" in the set especially are
really nice. I'm still waiting for some of the patch cards and autographs from the announced checklist to surface, but when they do I'll be sure to add them here. Until then, enjoy what may or may not be Upper Deck's last stand.
Base Set Ultimate Collection is certainly not about the base set, although in a way that's too bad. To me these cards are relatively well composed with good use of foil (aka, not on the name making it impossible to read...Topps), a design that creates dimension, pictures that fit the cards and serial numbering not on the front. Not ok, in my opinion, an asinine fake rookie card logo that Upper Deck concocted in response to being unlicensed. The fact that these are techinally 2009 releases makes it even more absurd. All in all, nice offerings here, albeit with a set that is way too small.
| | |
#18 Miguel Cabrera (#/599)
| #19 Curtis Granderson
| #58 Alex Avila "RC" (#/599)
|
| | |
#81 Fu-Te Ni "RC" (#/599)
| #84 Ryan Perry "RC" (#/599)
| #87 Wilkin Ramirez "RC" (#/599)
|
Autographs & Relics This is where Ultimate collection shines. I'm still waiting on a number of key Tiger cards to surface, but here's what I've seen so far. Ultimate Patches that are well designed and beautifully presented. Those
easily stand out as the highlight of the Tigers offerings. There is more: Rick Porcello's card #110, which is numbered as part of the base set, is a nice on-card autograph numbered to 135. What's better, instead of a totally mundane and artificially more scarce parallel autograph, there are two fundamentally different cards (#110a & #110b!), with a different pictures on them. Sadly, those cards have a parallel version (Blue #/15) too, but I won't complain too loudly. Cards like the "Legendary Six Memorabilia" I can take or leave--small swatches and small pictures in a card book don't appeal much to me--but what I'm really waiting to see are the Kaline autographs. I have no idea what they'll look like, so as soon as they surface I'll have them up here. Bottom line: Ultimate Collection is a set for the hits, and although the Tigers are hardly the best of what is out there, they are still gorgeous. If this is what Upper Deck goes out with, then...Bang.
| | |
#110 Rick Porcello Auto (#/135)
| #110a Rick Porcello Gold Auto (#/45)
| #110b Rick Porcello Gold Auto (#/45)
|
| | |
#MO Magglio Ordonez Patch (#/35)
| #SA Sparky Anderson Patch (#/35)
| |
| | |
#L6M-4 Ryan/Smith/Sandberg/ Ripken/Fisk/ANDERSON (#/50)
| #U6M-12 ORDONEZ/Carpenter/Roberts ANDERSON/Schoendeist/Weaver (#/50)
| |
| | |
#UI-AK Al Kaline "Inscriptions" Auto (#/15)--Redemption
| #UP-AK Al Kaline Patch (#/6)
| |
|
| |
#UP-CG Curtis Granderson Patch (#/35)
| #MC Miguel Cabrera Patch (#/35)
| |
