Oh Happy (Mail)day

Thank god this day has come. After a whole lot of waiting, my Percy Harvin SPA redemption is here and on my shelf. There was a little snafu on my part not updating my new address, but everything is in hand now. The card is as good as I expected it to be, but the auto and patch leave a little to be desired. Again, that is the nature of the beast, and I am just glad I got an actual patch rather than one of them nameplate patches that Upper Deck used in some of their patch product this year.

This is the third of four Harvin redemptions I have waited on so far this year (I am still waiting on my Ultimate redemption), and the other two have been three color patches from Panini. I guess when you get lucky like that for two straight cards, the third time is against the odds to be the charm. Im still happy that these cards got out, as it’s a pretty important one in completing my list of ones I wanted for him last year. With UD out of the licensed game this year, 2009 is likely to house the only Harvin cards I will want. I guess its about getting that Exquisite one crossed off the list, as it looks just as good as this one turned out to be.

On top of that, the Harvin cards are selling quite well on eBay, with one of the logos at a ridiculous price. I havent decided whether I am going to pursue a card like that, I guess it depends on his replication of his great season from last year.

Overall, color me happy on this one, and excited on the Ultimate if it happens to show up.

The First Good News From UD In A Long Time

I have been sick all day, so I missed this awesome nugget of news to share with you all. Today on Twitter, Upper Deck announced that Percy Harvin had started signing all of his redemptions for SP Authentic through Exquisite. If you bought any product from them, and were looking for a Harvin like I was, this should be a pretty happy day. Not only that, but it signals that Upper Deck is still chasing their athletes for unfulfilled redemptions.

Ever since the news that Upper Deck had lost their football license, many redemptions dropped in price out of fear that they wouldnt be handled due to the cost of doing so. Harvin’s SP Authentics have dropped from a release price of around 100 bucks to an average of about 75. His Exquisites, which started out around 220, have dropped to about 175. Im sure those prices will go back up now that the cards should be live in a few weeks.
Overall, I would file this under good news, no doubt. Then, with a little birdie on my shoulder telling me that UD is possibly going to next month’s rookie premiere with College Jerseys for the players, things may be turning around.

Percy Harvin At The Sun Times Show: Results Are AWESOME

First off, I want to thank James for doing this for me. He was nice, communicative, and incredibly easy to work with. You have made me very happy.

Secondly, I discussed a few days ago how much I loved autographs, and this one is definitely a new centerpiece to my Percy Harvin collection. From the pics it looks absolutely amazing, and very much worth the money I spent to have it taken care of.

I cant wait to have it in hand, should be perfect next to my Peterson one.
What a rush!

Percy Harvin and Upper Deck – Rumors are Rumors

It seems like a lot of people have heard the rumors that Percy Harvin is done with UD over a money situation or something similar. I wouldnt be so quick to jump on the bandwagon, as I have not seen any reason to believe that this rumor is true.

I contacted Upper Deck to get a comment on the situation, and they gave me a pretty staunch response that he will sign when they can catch up with him. They denied any money issues between them and any football players with outstanding stuff, and were confident that they would be able to redeem the cards soon.
Of course, this could be a line from the people who stand to lose out if Harvin is indeed feuding over money with them, but I still file this under pure speculation. It was a rumor started by a user on Blowout’s forum, and yet people are taking it as gospel. Although Baseball and UDE are done over in Carlsbad, I would believe that the football side should not have many problems that would lead to a situation like this.
People have cited the cancellation of UD Draft Football as a sign of the Upper Deck apocalypse, but I think it was more of a positioning mechanism for the newly revamped Sweet Spot, and an issue of redundancy and low sales from last year. Plus, when the CLC license kicks in at the end of next month, its going to be tough for any other company to compete with a product like Sweet Spot while not infringing on copyrights.
Basically, my suggestion is simple. If you like Harvin and want to pick up some of his stuff, but are afraid of the rumors, then wait. Despite the fact that speculation doesnt usually turn into anything when it comes to players signing their shit, you can easily wait for the live cards to show up. However, if you do wait, expect a 20-30% premium on the live cards due to the popularity of Harvin and the popularity of SPA. If 100 bucks isnt that big of a deal to you, and you pulled the card or got it another way, there is not a reason yet to say that the rumors are even close to being true. Either way, you should get a nice replacement even if he doesnt sign.
Personally, I dont see much change coming in the way Upper Deck functions in football. They have made investments in the prosperity of this brand, and I think they will pay off. There will be hiccups like UD Draft, but Im not afraid at this point, regardless of speculation. They may have laid off much of their now defunct UDE brand, and baseball is probably next, but trimming the fat will be necessary when there is nothing going on in those arenas.
As for Harvin, dont let message board speculation get the best of you. However, as always, patience is a virtue if you can afford it.

For The Record, This Should Be Your Benchmark For 2009

This is what a REAL Vikings Head looks like. Take it, buy it, store it, whatever you want to do. Notice the size, stitching, all that stuff because for 2009 and 2009 only, this is what they look like. National treasures is too new for this to be fake, but hell, there is always a chance. At least this one has the makings of a real one.

Just an FYI.