2011 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Review

Upper Deck Goodwin Champions is back but because they no longer has a MLB or NBA license the product has become an “all things interesting” type collection along the lines of the World of Sports release. We see athletes from all walks of life along with politicians, animals and museum collections.

Schedule Release Date: Summer 2011
Box Configuration: 20 packs per box, 5 cards per pack
SRP: $90/box- UD announced that the SRP should be around the 2009 price point


Box Break:
3 Autographs, Relic, Manufactured Patch or 1/1 Printing Plate
10 Minis
1 Figures of Sports Die-cut
1 World Traveler 5x7 Box Topper
1 Goodwin Citizen


My Thoughts:
Upper Deck is bringing back the retro themed product that did so well in 2009. They are keeping the artistic approach and they are really touching on every corner of the athletic world plus adding in politicians, animal patch cards and some interesting museum pieces along with the popular entomology “relic” cards.

I wish Upper Deck still had the licenses for baseball and basketball, seeing the athletes in their pro uniforms would have been a nice addition, but I think they have done well with what they have. They really make up for it with hard signed autographs, including Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky, interesting inserts and some oddities that will make collectors wonder.

I have seen a couple of people comment about the cards like the Walton and Ryan cards where we see the athlete in their personal life. I like the Nolan Ryan card, he just seems to be in his natural environment but Bill Walton seems odd. Maybe have him posed as an announcer would have been a better fit instead of at a piano.


Pros:
On-card autographs

Museum pieces including relics from Lincoln, Napoleon and Annie Oakley

Entomology and Thoroughbred Hair relics make a return

Cons:
No MLB or NBA license

Your “hits” can include an Animal Kingdom manufactured patch card

Unsure of the checklist at this time (not really a negative)


Rating:
Since there is not enough information about the product yet besides some preview shots and box break info I will hold my rating. I love the original 1888 Goodwin Champions (N162) set and I like what Upper Deck did with the 2009 release so I have high hopes for this upcoming set.

On a side note, I don’t need to pull an Entomology card to have a scorpion. One of the pluses (or negatives depending on how you look at it) of living in Arizona is the easy access to live scorpions. This here is my very own bark scorpion caught the other night on my kitchen floor, now if only I could encase it in a card I would be golden.