Monday, June 16, 2014

Mark Prior Monday - 2005 Upper Deck Artifacts

I’m not sure what a box of Upper Deck Artifacts was running back in 2005 but I can reasonably assume it would have been out of my price range as a collector. There were only 40 cards in the box (10 packs with 4 cards) but the odds suggested one autograph and three serial numbered memorabilia cards among them. I would have been (and still am) left to cherry pick the stuff I wanted so it was a good thing today’s card showed up in the Mark Prior lot.

The first 100 cards in the set were an unnumbered base card set. The next fifty cards were Future Stars serial numbered to 1350. Wrapping up the 200 card set were 50 Legends numbered to 1999.


The Cubs had seven cards in the first 100, more than double of what should have been had every team been represented equally. Mark Prior’s card today comes in at #65 on the checklist and after double checking, is the only one from that year’s team set I had in my collection.

For some reason, when I looked at the card the first few half dozen times, I thought the letters behind him were spelling out MVP. It wasn’t until I saw the other cards from the set that I realized it was just his initials, MP. Too bad his parents didn’t give him Victor or Vladimir as a middle nameor his initials could have been MVP.

A full 100 unnumbered base card set would have taken at least three boxes to complete when you figure in hits (and perfect collation) but can be had on eBay for under $15 shipped. Or $45 with free shipping. Or if you want to get super fancy and have the same cards but with a “UD Promo” stamp on it, $200 OBO.

No comments:

Post a Comment