Set Overview: 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Basketball

I could have sworn that when Upper Deck first unleashed Exquisite Basketball for the first time five years ago that it was supposed to be a one-time deal. And yet here we are five years later with the brand still going strong and spanning across baseball and football as well.

Like it or not, the ultra high-end product was a launching point for several similar sets. Some people have money to burn I guess and they dream of chasing logomen and autographs galore.

Here's the deal: five cards in a pack, one pack makes up a box, suggested price is a penny under $600. It's like a trip to Vegas in a snazzy looking box minus the showgirls.

The breakdown for the pack is:

1. one autographed rookie patch card or a triple autograph “Draft Pick Reservation” card
2. one autographed patch card
3. one memorabilia or autographed card
4. one base set card
5. combination of autographs, memorabilia, parallels, printing plates, base cards and “Artist Proof” redemptions

New to the set this year are Exquisite Exclusive boxes. These have a specific player on them and are limited to their jersey number. The cool factor is that every card in that pack/box is of that player. So let's say you get a Michael Jordan Exquitie Exclusive. It's a hot pack of all Jordan cards.

For autograph purists, the set is free of band aids. All cards are hand signed on the cards themselves. For $600 one would hope so.

And what would a modern set be without rookie redemptions. 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Basketball takes it to a new level (or low, depending on how you look at it) with Exquisite Draft Pick Reservations. Here's the gist: triple signed autographs from the upcoming rookie class. The checklist, you might be wondering:

• DP-A. Derrick Rose/Michael Beasley/O.J. Mayo #d to 99
• DP-B. Michael Beasley/O.J. Mayo/Eric Gordon #d to 99
• DP-C. O.J. Mayo/Eric Gordon/Jerryd Bayless #d to 99
• DP-D. Derrick Rose/Russell Westbrook/D.J. Augustin #d to 99
• DP-E. Michael Beasley/Kevin Love/Joe Alexander #d to 99
• DP-F. Derrick Rose/Eric Gordon/Jerryd Bayless #d to 99
• DP-G. Joe Alexander/Brook Lopez/Jason Thompson #d 199
• DP-H. Russell Westbrook/Kevin Love/Danilo Gallinari #d 199
• DP-I. Russell Westbrook/Danilo Gallinari/Brandon Rush #d 199
• DP-J. D.J. Augustin/Jerryd Bayless/Brandon Rush #d 199
• DP-K. Joe Alexander/Jason Thompson/Marreese Speights #d 199
• DP-L. Brook Lopez/Robin Lopez/Roy Hibbert #d 199

Set Breakdown:

Base Set: 112 cards (60 base cards, 52 rookies)
Cards per pack: 6
Packs per box: 1
Suggested Retail Price: $599.99
Release Date: July 14, 2008

Inserts

Autographed Rookie Cards (1 per pack on average)

• Exquisite Rookie Auto/Patch Level 1 (# to 225)
• Exquisite Rookie Auto/Patch Level 2 (# to 99)
• Exquisite Rookie Auto/Patch Gold (# to jersey #)
• Exquisite Draft Picks Reservation Triple-Signed (# to 99 and # to 199)

Autographed Patch Cards (1 per pack on average)

• Regular Cards Auto/Patch Variation (# to 1)
• Exquisite Autographed Patch (# to 35)
• Limited Logos (# to 50)
• Noble Nameplates (# to 25)
• Emblems of Endorsements (# to 10)
• Exquisite Extra Quad Auto Patch // (# to 3)
• Exquisite Numbers (# to jersey #)
• Exquisite Dual Numbers (# to jersey #)
• Scripted Swatches (# to 15)
• Dual Scripted Swatches (# to 5)
• Dual NBA Logoman Auto (# to 1)
• Exquisite Rookie Auto/Patch Gold (# to jersey #)

Memorabilia or Auto Cards (1 per pack, on average)

• Regular Cards Jersey Variation (# to 25)
• Regular Cards Patch Variation (# to 10)
• Year One Autograph (# to 10)
• Inscriptions (# to 25)
• Finalists Auto (# to 25)
• Exquisite Extra Quad Jersey (# to 25)
• Exquisite Dual Jersey/Auto (# to 5)
• Exquisite Triple Jersey/Auto (# to 3)
• Exquisite Trio Patch (# to 10)
• Exquisite Foursome Patch (# to 5)
• Exquisite Triple Patch (# to 10)
• Exquisite Trio Patch Gold // (# to 3)
• Exquisite Foursome Patch Gold // (# to 1)
• Exquisite Trio Patch Gold // (# to 3)
• NBA All-Access Triple Logoman (# to 1)
• Enshrinements Autograph (# to 25)
• Dual Enshrinements Autograph (# to 10)

Plate Cards, Regular Cards, Parallels and Non-Auto Rookies (2 per pack, on average)

• Base Set – 60 Cards (# to 225)
• Non-Auto Rookies (# to 99)
• Base Set Gold // (# to 25)
• Base Set Black // (# to 1)
• Non-Auto Rookies Gold // (# to jersey #)
• Exquisite Rookie Gold Variation (# to 25)
• Exquisite Rookie Black Variation (# to 1)
• 1-of-1 Printing Plate Cards (# to 1)
• Artist Proof Redemptions (variable #)