Upper Deck is one of the biggest brands in the world when it comes to sports trading cards. They have a huge range of products that are all worth money, but which ones are the best value for your cash?
The answer is quite tricky because different cards in different sports can have vastly different price tags.
In general, the baseball cards from Upper Deck tend to be the most expensive, with baseball cards following closely in second place. At least, these are the ones that have sold for the most at auctions in the past.
However, the world of sports card trading is always evolving and there’s no reason a new sport couldn’t be the front-runner a couple of decades down the line.
In this article, we’re taking a look at what makes Upper Deck trading cards valuable and finding out about some of the most lucrative Upper Deck sales in history.
What Are Upper Deck Trading Cards?
Upper Deck is an American company that was founded in 1988, in California, by Richard McWilliam, Paul Sumner, and Boris Korbel.
It became famous for its baseball cards, but has branched out into other sports as well. It now sells over 100 different types of trading cards across various sports.
There are two main categories of Upper Deck cards: base sets and insert sets. Base sets contain many of the same players on every card in the set. Insert sets are unique to each individual player or team.
Baseball And Basketball Cards
Upper Deck’s first big hit came with their baseball cards. In 1989, they released a series called ‘Chase’ which included players like Rickey Henderson, Mike Schmidt, Wade Boggs, Cal Ripken Jr., and more. These were very popular and quickly became the standard for baseball cards.
Since then, Upper Deck has continued to release baseball cards and sell them worldwide.
Upper Deck also produces basketball cards, although not nearly as much as baseball cards.
Other Sports
Upper Deck also releases football, hockey, soccer, and golf cards. However, they don’t produce as many of these as baseball and basketball.
Football cards are usually only produced once per year, so they aren’t as common as baseball and basketball cards.
Hockey cards are rarer than football cards, but still relatively easy to find. Soccer cards are even harder to come by.
Golf cards are sometimes available through eBay, but you’ll need to search around for them.
What Makes Upper Deck Cards Valuable?
Now that we know a little more about the history of these sports trading cards, let’s think about what makes them more or less expensive at auction.
First off, baseball cards are generally considered to be the most valuable. This is mainly due to the fact that they’ve been around longer and therefore have had more time to appreciate in value.
Basketball cards are second in terms of popularity, but they’re not necessarily worth more money. They might just take longer to collect.
One factor that determines the value of an Upper Deck card is how rare it is. If a card isn’t very common, it will probably be worth more money.
The best example of this is the 1995 Topps Heritage Baseball Card Set. The set contained 599 cards, all autographed by one player, Ken Griffey Jr. Each card was numbered 1/1 to 1/599.
The set sold for $2,000 when it went up for auction in 2000. By 2007, the price had increased to $11,500. Today, Heritage cards can cost anywhere from $100 – $200 depending on the condition.
Another good example of a highly valued card is the 1994 Fleer Ultra Baseball Card Set. This set contains 730 cards, all autographed and numbered 1/1 to 9/730.
This set sold for $3,600 when it went up for sale in 2005. By 2012, the price had increased almost 500% to $19,900. Today, Ultra cards can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
So if you want to get rich quick, start collecting baseball cards!
How Do I Get Started?
If you’d like to start collecting Upper Deck sports trading cards, there are three ways to do it. You can buy packs of cards directly from Upper Deck.
You can purchase individual cards from online sellers.
Or, you can buy cards from dealers who specialize in selling cards.
If you choose to go the dealer route, make sure you check out our guide to buying cards from dealers. It includes tips on where to look, how to bid, and how to avoid scams.
Buying Packs From Upper Deck
When you buy packs of cards from Upper Deck, you’re basically paying for the right to open your own pack.
Upper Deck regularly releases new packs for all the following sports:
- Baseball
- Football
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Golf
There are some differences between each type of pack. For instance, Football packs contain fewer cards, while Hockey packs are much larger.
Each pack also comes with a code that allows you to redeem free Upper Deck products. These include stickers, patches, and other items.
Buying Individual Cards From Online Sellers
Some online sellers sell single cards for as low as $5. Others charge hundreds of dollars per card.
If you’re looking to save money, you should stick to sites that offer bulk deals. For instance, eBay has a great selection of cards available for under $10.
If you’re willing to pay more, try sites such as SportsMemorabilia.com or AutographsForSale.com. Both of these sites have thousands of different cards available at any given time.
Buying Cards From Dealers
A dealer’s job is to find cards for people. So if you’re interested in investing in Upper Deck cards, you’ll need to find a dealer who specializes in them.
Most dealers don’t actually carry Upper Deck cards. Instead, they work with collectors who buy large quantities of cards.
Dealers usually charge anywhere from $60 – $150 per box. However, many dealers will give you discounts if you buy multiple boxes.
Conclusion
The most valuable Upper Deck cards are those that were released during their peak popularity.
In the 1990s, the company was releasing sets featuring superstars like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and Mark McGwire. The prices for these cards skyrocketed once the players retired.
Today, the most valuable cards are those that were produced before 2000. They tend to be less expensive because demand hasn’t grown as fast.
But even though the value of a card may not change very often, its overall worth does fluctuate quite a bit.
That means that you might be able to profit off of a card that’s currently worth only a few dollars. Or you could end up losing money by purchasing a card that’s now worth tens of thousands of dollars.
So when you decide to invest in Upper Deck cards, keep this in mind. And remember that you won’t always know what the future holds.
Whatever you do and however you choose to collect your sports trading cards, make sure you remember to have fun while you’re doing it!
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