Upper Deck loves to surprise collectors with unannounced “Easter Egg” content in new trading card sets. In 2013-14 SP Authentic NHL® collectors were caught off guard when they started seeing clear acetate versions of classic Upper Deck “Young Guns” rookie cards being discovered in packs. The odds of pulling these cards were really tough so fans were thrilled if they were lucky enough to pull even one of them. The cards have become very popular and an exciting edition to the insert card line-up.
We knew fans would like them, but we also knew putting together a set of these would be really tough. One collector answered the call to not only put the set together from that year, but from every year for a master set we had to see in order to believe. Meet Bradey Strong:
“I started collecting hockey cards in 2015 and this set soon followed! I’ve always been the kind of person that if I were to start a project I have to finish it, so the impossible task begun!
“It was such a fun experience and sometimes a frustrating one putting this monster of a set together! I needed to be alert all the time on eBay, Facebook groups, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It was a rush when you would finally land a scarce one on your checklist! Money played a factor in putting this set together obviously, but what was most difficult was completing the 2013-14 and 2014-15 sets as many of the cards had already made their way to private collections. Sometimes I’d wait months and even years for some pieces to pop up. It’s been an incredible challenge.
“I’ve met a lot of great people through the journey and the amount of help I’ve received is paramount to me. I would have never done this without the support of a lot of amazing people in the hobby. I also want to thank my parents for supporting me on this crazy project and my patience for not getting the best of me! Unfortunately for me and my wallet this set isn’t finished. Each year I’ll have more to add, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and appreciating what I have today.”
One of the things we loved about Bradey’s story is that he started collecting hockey cards he was just 18-years-old. Now that’s a Young Gun! Congratulations on the achievement so far Bradey, we can’t wait to see how the set comes along! Given the size of Bradey’s collection, we couldn’t show it all, but make sure to check him out on Instagram by giving him a follow at @Acetate_Guy.
