Upper Deck Unveils Industry-First Trading Card Authentication for Highly Coveted Rookie Auto Patch Cards

Upper Deck Continues Legacy of Trading Card Innovation With Debut of New Authenticity Feature for 2023-24 Upper Deck The Cup Hockey Trading Card Set

/EIN News/ -- CARLSBAD, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upper Deck, the global collectibles company that pioneered the trading card security hologram, today announced it is expanding its industry-leading advances in anti-counterfeit technology with a card authentication feature that safeguards the integrity of its trading cards. As part of the highly anticipated release of the 2023-24 Upper Deck The Cup Hockey on June 4, 2025, this new feature deepens Upper Deck’s commitment to security and authenticity by allowing collectors to verify that their Rookie Auto Patch cards have not been tampered with via patch swapping.

Upper Deck President Jason Masherah explained: “The trading card industry has experienced a massive patch swapping challenge for years now, where counterfeiters will cut out and swap patches to increase a card’s after-market value based on the player or colors of the patch. Until now, there has been no trusted mechanism to self-verify if a card has been tampered with, and this Rookie Auto Patch Authentication is the first step in tackling this massive industry-wide issue.”

The power is placed in the hands of the consumer with this revolutionary authentication service. Each Rookie Auto Patch card in the 2023-24 Upper Deck The Cup Hockey is slabbed, photographed and serial numbered with a QR code, which collectors can scan to view a gallery of images from multiple angles that depict the card as it was originally issued by Upper Deck. This feature is already found within Upper Deck’s ecosystem on Collect Forever where uncirculated comic books and figurines are similarly slabbed, imaged and provided a QR code for authentication.

Those familiar with Upper Deck’s groundbreaking memorabilia authentication system, which set the industry standard in 1992 for ensuring autograph authenticity through a five-step process using recorded hologram IDs and a database for collectors to verify the item’s authenticity, will find the Rookie Auto Patch Authentication works in a similar, easy-to-use format.

“This is a game changer for the industry. Collectors have never been in a position to have confidence in a card’s authenticity before making a purchase,” said Masherah, who spearheaded this initiative for the company. “Before you buy an Upper Deck Rookie Auto Patch Card from an auction or a card show, you now have the ability to quickly see on a secure platform whether or not the card remains as we originally created it, without the risk of purchasing a manipulated card or needing to go through the extra step of shipping it to us or a third-party for verification.”

Upper Deck’s Rookie Auto Patch cards are the most highly chased, high-end rookie cards and typically carry extremely high valuations on the secondary market thanks to their on-card autographs, low numberings, and colorful patches.

The 2023-24 Upper Deck The Cup Hockey trading card set will be available for purchase at local Certified Diamond Dealer hobby shops and Authorized Internet Retailers on June 4, 2025. Those who score Rookie Auto Patch cards can visit www.TheAuthority.com to test the Upper Deck Rookie Auto Patch Authentication process using The Authority Authenticator. Learn more at www.UpperDeck.com.

About Upper Deck
Upper Deck is a global entertainment company creating trading cards, memorabilia, collectibles, games, and online platforms that deliver the experiences collectors crave. Upper Deck has set the unmatched industry standard for quality, authenticity, and innovation, and continues to bring generations of fans closer to their favorite athletes and characters with unique and authentic sports and entertainment product offerings, as well as its digital trading ecosystem. The company prides itself on creating collectibles that produce invaluable experiences for sports and entertainment's most dedicated and loyal fans, with a goal to deliver excellence to the community across the most coveted properties as a means to develop memorable moments for collectors of all kinds.

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Media Contact:
Nicole Brief, nicole@carvecomms.com
Matt Burkey, matt@carvecomms.com