Collecting discussion: SPGU

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sdpdesign

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In this discussion, we'll focus on the common era of collections, that being of the Crosby era, starting in the 05-06 year.

Most collections that I have seen, or posts for filling in the PC collections, it really rarely ever includes SPGU.

We know this is a "hit or miss" product like most UD.

I personally like the series to some degree, liking certain years more than others. I like the single pack system that they instituted a few years ago, but not so much with last year's inclusion of serial numbered parallels or banner fillers.

So, to bring this subject out, do you collect SPGU? Why or why not? Likes/dislikes? Favorite or worst set/set aspects?

And discuss
 
I am 99.9% a player collector, so buying premium pack-per-box products is not something I usually indulge in. That said, my view will be skewed, but I did buy a couple of packs of 16-17. The vast amount and levels of parallels was an instant turn-off. I know parallels are nothing new, but in a premium product, seeing parallels based on 'draft year + 100' or whatever it was seemed to me, well, just silly.

As for the player aspect, I liked the majority of the Jagr cards that came from the product. Some of my favorite Jagr cards of 16-17 came from SPGU.
 
I collect it, but because I have player/team PC's and pretty much grab what I can.

Likes:

Supreme's - those things are sick. Just ask Ameet.

Rookies (from 12-13 on I think?) - The numbered to the jersey number thing is cool, makes it a fun chase. I'm a fan of the player base numbered to the jersey number as well.

Stadium Series/Winter Classic stuff - I like these sets. It is especially cool for you if your team was in one, or even better if you actually were at the game. I had a lot of fun chasing Avalanche Stadium Series goodies this year, because I was at that game. I like that introduction into SPGU.


Dislikes:

Filler parallels like you mentioned (the /112, /233, whatever) just useless filler in what you except as a "hit" product

ePack - It's on ePack, so guess what happens to any basic jerseys & such? Worthless. Not fun when you open a pack, your biggest hit is a banner, and you get $10 worth of cards out of it.
 
Somewhat.

I don't really collect any current sets anymore, and bust very little wax.

I do collect Oilers. Each new player to join the team: I chase a RC, an Auto, a GU, and a card picturing them as an Oiler.

For many Oilers Rookies - This means I end up getting a Cup ARP, and I'm done. That single card checks all four boxes.

But... if a player doesn't have an ARP in any set, I'd grab an auto-rookie instead. That's not an option either? I'll just take what I perceive to be the "best" rookie card out there.

For me, "best" then translates to "rarest". In the case of Adam Pardy that was an SPx /499... Brandon Davidson was an SPA /999 - But for a bunch of guys in recent years (Curtis Hamilton and Tyler Bunz off the top of my head) that was the SPGU #ed to their Jersey number.

I really like how SPGU does their base set. Enough that I've paid what I thought was decent money for Rookies.... but not enough to warrant buying boxes myself.
 
I have quite a few SP Game Used cards in the PC's. I don't really make a habit of getting the RC of my main guys, though I do have the Arturri Lehkonen /62 from this last year and it's a nice one.

Obviously the memorabilia is the highlight of the product, and they've had some really cool subsets over the years. I really liked the 16-17 Frameworks cards, and the Carey Price is one of my favourites. Just a beauty. I've got a lot of multi-player jersey and patch cards from the set, and I do like how they've incorporated special memorabilia from major events (Stanley Cup Finals, Winter Classics, etc.) in recent years.
 
I have bought a few boxes, mostly just gambling on trying to get some hits. It's not really that great a product in my opinion, though there are some neat cards.

Like, Supreme patches, jersey #'d rookie and vet cards.
Dislike, recently the banners and other similar cards, random serial numbered cards and the overall design.

Derek K.
 
Haven't purchased box's or packs of spgu since 06-07 (i think) and hit a Turco manufactured letter auto an that was it for me. you can't call the set game used and the HITS are not game used. And to keep ranting the new banners Hate'em .
Not really a big rookie collector so i've never even considered picking up a SPGU rc
Too be far I do like the supreme's and game gear quads .
 
I collected SPGU heavily, but only rarely bought boxes. Being a player collector (Iginla) it didn't make sense to break boxes. The "Authentic Fabrics" set was my main focus, and it's appearance was always highly anticipated. Iginla patches first made an appearance in 2001/02, but the "Authentic Fabrics" cards didn't start until 2002/03. No multi player cards that year or in 2003/04, but by 2005/06 he was included up to quad patch cards. With 2006/07 he was included right up to the 8 patch card, and again in 2007/08. (So single patch, dual, triple, quad, fives, sixes, & sevens as well, but no fives in 2006-07) No Authentic Fabrics in 2008-09, but in 2009-10 & 2010-11 he was right up to the 8 patch again. By 2011-12 there was only a single jersey & single patch card, but his inclusion on Team Canada led to another 8 patch card for 2012-13. My SPGU cards are quite scarce after that, the Stadium Series cards got me back into them for the 2016-17 series. I always looked at putting together my Authentic Patches as a highlight of my collecting year.


2009-10




2010-11





2012-13

 
I'm doing the all star skills patch sets from the last two years. One of the best mem sets out there in my opinion, features the best players from around the league, nice size set with 44 cards (featuring every team), low-med print of /35 and some sweet patches to boot.
 
I have several of the Stanley Cup Game Used pieces and love those. It's great to have pieces like that from games you attended.

Unfortunately for me, I've narrowed my game-used collecting to autographed pieces, and only hard-signed. SPGU is all stickers so not much of anything has a place in my PC. I tried a couple of packs this year and really did not pull anything I would keep. And resale value was pretty low. So it's a product I'll just stay away from until my Kings make it to the Cup Finals again :)
 
Nice topic for discussion. I actually wrote an article about all UD hockey products and the biggest problem they have is the large number of cards that are included in most of them. This includes subsets and obscure players and this not only kills the values of these cards, but ruins the overall desire to collect the product.

In 2005-2006 SPGU was a wonderful product with a few subsets and the very desirable Rookie Exclusives auto subset. Anyone know what happened to this?

The biggest issue I have with SPGU is the 1 pack pack configuration. Obviously, there are other mid to high end products that fall under this category, but this is something I am not a fan of. I like to bust through packs and enjoy each card during a break, so I typically stray away from products that are only 1 pack.

SPGU used to be a staple product, but with all the other products that have improved over the years such as Black, Premiere, Ultimate and even SP Authentic, in my honest opinion SPGU is left behind and has lost a lot of its luster.
 
I don't mind SPGU as a player collector. As mentioned the Supreme sets are awesome. I'm not a fan of the banner set.
 
Great comments everyone.

As I started this, I had the idea of the problems with the product and agree with most of them. I have yet to actually have one of the Supreme's in hand either being pulled by myself or anyone else. To pull one is a goal from the product.

I have been pretty lucky with the product but I have learned that a single box or pack (now) is a 50/50 venture, mostly the 50 without a "super" hit. Buying in 3's has worked for me as it seems that UD does manage to "load" a box every once in a while but has planty of average ones out there.

I believe the RC Exclusive auto's were discontinued around 2010. They were always a nice bonus and numbered either to /50 or /100. A nice chase set.

I think there are years that get very little love. I think 08-09 is one of them. 09-10 is the one year that I only bought a single box & it was an "eh" box. It had a Sullivan patch so I was happy.

Thank you for posting examples from your collections!!!
 
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I am partial to the rookie cards from SPGU from 2012-13 forward, when they started numbering them to the players' jersey numbers. I have been chipping away at those sets slowly but surely, and have even amassed 40 of the 1/1 autographed versions from the various years (mostly acquired before they became popular). For 2014-15 I am also trying to pick up the base cards from the set, which are also numbered to the jersey number. It's been a fun, long-term project.
 

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