2002 SP Authentic
Description
2002 SP Authentic is a 230 card set was released in two separate series. The basic SP Authentic product (containing the first 170 cards) was issued in September, 2002. The final 60 cards (#171-#230) were distributed within packs of 2002 Upper Deck Rookie Update in mid-December, 2002. The product is notable for containing the first ever, certified autographed trading cards of Mark McGwire.
Cards #1-#90 featured veterans while cards #91-#170 were part of the Future Watch subset. Future Watch cards #91-#135 are serial-numbered to 1999 copies; while cards #136-#170 were signed by the player. Most of the autographed Future Watch cards were serial-numbered to 999 copies; while cards #146, #152 and #157 were printed to only 249 serial-numbered sets.
A typical 24-pack SP Authentic box should yield two Future Watch cards, one autographed Future Watch card, either an autographed Prospect or a Chirography card, at least one USA Future Watch insert, and a game jersey card.
There only notable rookies in the SP Authentic set are of Reed Johnson and Aaron Cook.
Rookie Update cards #201-#230 continued the Future Watch subset (focusing on rookies and prospects) and each card was serial-numbered to 1999.
Among the notable rookies in the Rookie Update series include Cliff Lee and Freddy Sanchez.
Distribution
SP Authentic Series: 24 packs per box, five cards per pack (MSRP: $4.99). Hobby only.
Rookie Update Series: 15 packs per box, four cards per pack. Hobby only.
Reviews
Insertion Ratios
| Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 230 | - | ? |
| short set | 90 | - | 5:1 |
| Future Watch | 45 | 1999 | 1:12 |
| Autographed Future Watch | 35 | 249 or 999 | 1:24 |
| Rookie Update Series short set | 30 | - | 1:1 |
| Rookie Update Series Future Watch | 30 | 1999 | 1:7 |
| Limited | 170 | 125 | ? |
| Limited Gold | 170 | 50 | ? |
| USA Future Watch | 22 | 1999 | ? |
| Game Jersey | 38 | - | 1:24 |
| Game Jersey Gold | 38 | varies | ? |
| Prospects Signatures | 12 | - | 1:36 |
| Chirography | 27 | - | 1:72 |
| Chirography Gold | 25 | varies | ? |
| Big Mac Missing Link | 5 | 25 | ? |
| Signed Big Mac | 10 | varies | ? |
| Excellence | 1 | 25 | ? |
| Sings of Greatness | 1 | one-of-one | ? |
| Autographed Joe DiMaggio Poster Redemption | 1 | - | ? |
Checklist
Base Set
SP Authentic Series
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic') AND (num < 91); </sql2wiki>
Future Watch
Each Future Watch is serial-numbered to 1999 copies.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic') AND (num BETWEEN 91 AND 135); </sql2wiki>
Autographed Future Watch
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic') AND (num BETWEEN 136 AND 170); </sql2wiki>
Rookie Update Series
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic') AND (num BETWEEN 171 AND 200); </sql2wiki>
Future Watch
Each Future Watch is serial-numbered to 1999 copies.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic') AND (num > 200); </sql2wiki>
Parallels
Each of the 170 SP Authentic Series cards (including the Future Watch and autographs) are available in the following parallels.
- Limited (serial-numbered to 125 copies)
- Limited Gold (serial-numbered to 50 copies)
Inserts
USA Future Watch
This 22-card set features members of the 2002 USA National Team. The design is similar to that of the base set Future Watch cards, but none are to be considered "true" rookies. Each card is serial-numbered to 1999 copies.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic USA Future Watch') ORDER BY (SUBSTRING(num FROM 4)) +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Autographs & Game-Used
NOTE: All autograph and game-used cards listed below were inserted into SP Authentic packs.
Game Jersey
Each of the 38 Game Jersey's is available in a Gold parallel. The Gold cards are serial-numbered to the player's uniform number and is listed below.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Game Jersey Gold'); </sql2wiki>
Chirography
Four players: Bret Boone, Tony Gywnn, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa, packed out as exchange cards which expired September 10, 2005.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Chirography') ORDER BY num ASC; </sql2wiki>
Gold
Each of the 27 players (except Bret Boone and Tony Gwynn) is available in a Gold parallel. The Gold cards are serial-numbered to the player's uniform number and listed below.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Chirography Gold') ORDER BY num ASC; </sql2wiki>
Prospects Signatures
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Prospects Signatures'); </sql2wiki>
Big Mac Missing Link
These autographed Mark McGwire cards are all in the style of SP/SP Authentic Chirography sets from 1998-2002. McGwire had never signed for a trading card company before coming to terms with Upper Deck in 2002. Each card is hand-numbered to 25 copies.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Big Mac Missing Link'); </sql2wiki>
Signed Big Mac
This set features 10 Mark McGwire autographed cards. Each card is serial-numbered to the production figures listed.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Signed Big Mac'); </sql2wiki>
Excellence
Randomly inserted into packs was an exchange card good for a card featuring six on-card autographs of Upper Deck spokemen. Only 25 exchange cards were produced and expired September 10, 2005.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Excellence'); </sql2wiki>
Signs of Greatness
Randomly inserted into packs, this "book" card features six autographs and only one copy was produced. An exchange card with a redemption deadline of September 10th, 2005 was placed into packs whereby the lucky collector received the card directly from Upper Deck via mail. The three dead players are all cuts; the three living players are on-card autographs.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Signs of Greatness'); </sql2wiki>
Joe DiMaggio Autographed Poster
Randomly inserted into packs was an exchange card good for an autographed Joe DiMaggio poster. The exchange card expired August 8, 2005.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 2002) AND (setname = 'SP Authentic Poster Redemption'); </sql2wiki>