About a decade before McDavid’s NHL debut, Upper Deck made a landmark decision that heavily impacted many of his most popular rookie cards. Though not a carbon copy of the Exquisite Collection brand popularized by other sports, in 2005 Upper Deck The Cup brought hockey collectors the highest-end product they had ever seen. With six-card tins priced at $350, collectors chased a double rookie class led by Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin – establishing a high-end pedestal on which future stars such as McDavid would stand.
Collectors knew what to expect from The Cup by McDavid’s 2015 debut, and Upper Deck did not disappoint in its 11th year, creating more than 50 versions of McDavid cards throughout the product (excluding printing plates). But even with so many choices, few of those offerings delight collectors more than his flagship RPA.
McDavid was one of seven players who rounded out the 87-card Rookie Autograph Patch checklist with a base print run /99. But the Gold parallel shrinks that print run down to /12. This BGS 9 example with three 9.5 subgrades, stamped 11/12, showcases a glorious three-color, four-break patch and 10-grade on-card autograph. Just like a title-winning captain hoisting the Cup above his head, the bidder who comes out on top this month might just raise their arms in triumph upon capturing this Connor card.
Learn more about the outstanding Oiler’s RCs in our Guide to Connor McDavid Rookie Cards: https://www.fanaticscollect.com/definitive-guides/a-guide-to-connor-mcdavid-rookie-cards
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 11/05/24.