1997 Upper Deck

Description

1997 Upper Deck is a 550-card set released in two series of 240 and 250 cards and two 30-card "Update" sets. Series One, containing the first 240 cards were released in January, 1997; while Series Two (cards #271-#520) was issued in June. Every base card is "game dated" on the front with the exact time and place in which the photo was taken.

Each series was supplemented by two 30-card update sets that were only available via a wrapper redemption offers. The "Postseason Highlights" set (cards #241-270) could be had for 10 Series One wrappers and $3 shipping & handling. A similar offer for the "Traded" set (cards #521-550) was offered for 10 Series Two wrappers and $3.

1997 Upper Deck is notable for having the first game-used cards in a mainstream baseball product. It should also be noted that the "Griffey's Hot List" subset in Series Two (#415-424) was short-printed -- one of the first instances of a set featuring cards that were intentionally SPed for the sole purpose of adding secondary market "value."

Distribution

24 packs per box, 12 cards per pack (MSRP: $2.49)

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Hobby Odds	Retail Odds
Base	550	-	?	?
Series One	240	-	?	?
Postseason Highlights	30	-	?	?
Series Two	250	-	?	?
Traded	30	-	?	?
Star Attractions	20	-	N/A	one-per-pack
Rock Solid Foundation (S1)	20	-	1:7	1:7
Power Package (S1)	20	-	1:24	1:24
Ticket to Stardom (S2)	20	-	1:34	1:34
Amazing Greats (S1)	20	-	1:69	1:69
Predictor (S2)	30	-	1:5	1:5
Hot Commodities (S2)	20	-	1:13	1:13
Long Distance Connection (S2)	20	-	1:35	1:35
Run Producers (S2)	24	-	1:69	1:69
Blue Chip Prospects (S2)	20	500	?	?
Game Jersey (S1)	3	-	1:800	1:800

Checklist

Base Set

Series One

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num < 241) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Postseason Highlights

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 241 AND 270) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Series Two

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 271 AND 520) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Traded

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN > 520) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Inserts

Star Attractions

This 20-card set was exclusive to specially-marked six-card "Memorabilia Madness" packs -- which were sold only at mass-market retail outlets -- and seeded at the rate of one-per-pack. Cards 1-10 were exclusive to Upper Deck Memorabilia Madness packs, while 11-20 were in 1997 Collector's Choice Memorabilia Madness packs. In addition to these cards, the Memorabilia Madness packs also included randomly-seeded redemptions good for various autographs.

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Rock Solid Foundation

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Power Package

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Ticket to Stardom

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Ticket to Stardom'); </sql2wiki>

Amazing Greats

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Predictor

This 30-card set was randomly seeded into Series Two packs at the rate of 1:5. Unlike previous year's Predictors, the fronts of each '97 edition had four scratch-off gold "bats," behind each is a specific feat. If the player meets of exceeds that feat in a 1997 MLB game, it can then be redeemed (along with $2 for shipping & handling) for an upgraded "Totally Virtual" parallel.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Predictor') ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Hot Commodities

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Long Distance Connection

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Long Distance Connection'); </sql2wiki>

Run Producers

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Run Producers'); </sql2wiki>

Blue Chip Prospects

Randomly inserted into Series Two packs, each card is serial-numbered to 500 copies.

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Autographs & Game-Used

Game Jersey

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