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
Hobby: 24 packs per box, 12 cards per pack (MSRP: $2.49)
Retail:
10 packs per box, 12 cards per pack
20 packs per box, 12 cards per pack
28 Packs Per Box, 12 Cards Per Pack
Reviews
Insertion Ratios
Series One
Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Hobby Odds | Retail Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Base | 240 | - | ? | ? |
Star Attractions | 10 | - | N/A | one-per-pack |
Rock Solid Foundation | 20 | - | 1:7 | 1:7 |
Power Package | 20 | - | 1:24 | 1:24 |
Ticket to Stardom | 20 | - | 1:34 | 1:34 |
Amazing Greats | 20 | - | 1:69 | 1:69 |
Game Jersey | 3 | - | 1:800 | 1:800 |
Series Two
Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Hobby Odds | Retail Odds |
---|---|---|---|---|
Base | 250 | - | ? | ? |
Star Attractions | 10 | - | N/A | one-per-pack |
Predictor | 30 | - | 1:5 | 1:5 |
Hot Commodities | 20 | - | 1:13 | 1:13 |
Long Distance Connection | 20 | - | 1:35 | 1:35 |
Run Producers | 24 | - | 1:69 | 1:69 |
Blue Chip Prospects | 20 | 500 | ? | ? |
Checklist
Base Set
Series One
NOTE: The Jackie Robinson Tribute, Strike Force, Defensive Gems, Global Impact, Season Highlight Checklist, and Star Rookies subsets are all printed on foilboard.
Jackie Robinson Tribute
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num < 10) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 10 AND 63) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Strike Force
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Defensive Gems
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Global Impact
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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 208 AND 213) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Season Highlight Checklists
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Star Rookies
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Postseason Highlights
NOTES
- This set was available through a Series One wrapper redemption offer.
- All cards are printed on foilboard.
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Series Two
NOTES
- The Star Rookies, Season Highlights Chceklist, Capture the Flag, and Diamond Debuts subsets are printed on foilboard.
- The Griffey's Hot List subset is short-printed and printed on etched foil.
Star Rookies
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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 289 AND 315) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Season Highlight Checklists
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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 325 AND 369) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Capture the Flag
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White Back Variation
Each card in the Capture the Flag subset is also available in a "White Back" variation.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 388 AND 414) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Griffey's Hot List
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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 425 AND 468) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Diamond Debuts
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 469 AND 483) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num BETWEEN 484 AND 520) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Traded
NOTE: This set was available through a Series Two wrapper-redemption offer.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck') AND (num > 520) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Inserts
Amazing Greats
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Amazing Greats'); </sql2wiki>
Blue Chip Prospects
Randomly inserted into Series Two packs, each Blue Chip Prospect card is die-cut and serial-numbered to 500 copies.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Blue Chip Prospects'); </sql2wiki>
Hot Commodities
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Hot Commodities'); </sql2wiki>
Long Distance Connection
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Long Distance Connection'); </sql2wiki>
PowerDeck
Randomly inserted into a limited number of Series One Hobby boxes was a Ken Griffey, Jr. PowerDeck "card." An experiment into multimedia trading cards, each "card" is a die-cut compact disc containing a brief interview with Griffey. In order to listen to the interview, a hole in the middle of the "card" had to be punched out -- therefore damaging the "card" -- and placed into a special adapter that was included with the "card."
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Power Package
NOTE: A special 5" X 7" version was randomly inserted into specially marked Series One boxes sold exclusively at Sam's Club stores.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Power Package'); </sql2wiki>
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. Unlike previous Predictor sets, all 30 cards were potential winners.
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Rock Solid Foundation
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Rock Solid Foundation'); </sql2wiki>
Run Producers
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Run Producers'); </sql2wiki>
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.
A Gold parallel was also randomly seeded into packs.
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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>
Ticket to Stardom Combos
This 10-card set is a parallel of the Ticket to Stardom insert set. Each card features two Ticket to Stardom's fused together into a 2 1/2" X 6 1/2" "strip." One strip was inserted into each specially-marked Collector's Choice three-packs sold exclusively at mass-market retail outlets.
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Upper Deck Sister Assumpta
This card was distributed at the 1997 National Sports Collectors Convention which took place August 7th through the 10th at the I-X Center in Cleveland. It is a tribute to Sister Mary Assumpta, who began baking chocolate chip cookies for the Cleveland Indians players in 1986. The back displays ten trivia questions with the answers printed upside down in a blue bar at the bottom.
Game-Used
Game Jersey
One of the landmark sets in Hobby history, these three cards were randomly inserted into Series One packs. Each card features a swatch of a game-worn jersey, cut up, and placed on the card. These cards were the first of their kind to hit the baseball card market and have become a staple in baseball card products since.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info from cards WHERE (year = '1997') AND (setname='Upper Deck Game Jersey') ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Upper Deck (flagship)
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Upper Deck (flagship) Sets: 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 |
Upper Deck (flagship) Update Sets: 1991 Upper Deck Final Edition - 2009 Upper Deck Update |
Upper Deck (flagship) Parallel Brands: 1999 Upper Deck Encore - First Edition: 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - First Pitch: 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - Special F/X: 1998 - 2006 |
Upper Deck Prospect Premieres: 2001 - 2002 - 2003 |
Upper Deck Japan: 2001 |