2008 Upper Deck New York Giants Super Bowl Champions Box Set

The National Football League's Super Bowl game is easily the most celebrated sporting event in North America, and has been for many years now. Even as a young cavalry scout in the Army back in the 1990s, my fellow rogues and I would often be allowed to report late for work the day after the Super Bowl (this depended on the "cool factor" of our commanding officer). Food retailers report that sales are stronger during Super Bowl weekend than many officially-recognized holidays. Last but not least, we must not forget to honor the advertisers who were willing to pay an average of five million dollars per 30-second commercial spot during Super Bowl 50 this past February.

Needles to say, countless cards have also been printed to celebrate the NFL's season-end championship game. Topps first issued a Super Bowl card in their 1972 football set, which featured Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach scrambling against the stingy Dolphins defense in Super Bowl VI. As far as I can tell, the first "boxed set" of Super Bowl cards was issued by ProSet in 1990 to commemorate the best players and coaches to emerge during the 25-year history of the event (dubbed by ProSet as a limited edition set, these cards are about as scarce as ants at a picnic -- held on an ant farm). 

Super Bowl boxed sets have more or less appeared yearly since ProSet's 1990 release, with numerous manufacturers and formats being used since. One such set was released in 2008 by hobby heavyweight Upper Deck. Packaged in a box similar to the size of "blaster boxes" that can be found at Target and Wal-Mart, this Super Bowl XLII set was printed after the game was played and features only players from the triumphant New York Giants club. Regarded as the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, the Giants managed to come from behind in the final minute of the game to beat the heavily-favored New England Patriots squad.

The colorful box comes factory sealed in clear plastic and measures 6 1/4 inches tall, 3 1/2 inches across and 2 3/4 inches deep. Found inside the box are 50 regular-sized cards and an oversized commemorative card, which measures 5 x 3 1/2 inches. 

Cards are printed on premium medium-weight stock and have a semi-gloss finish applied to both sides. There's no foil to be found on the cards, which many collectors consider a positive trait at this point. Of the 50 regular-sized cards in the box, 40 are dubbed by Upper Deck as regular season player cards, five are regular season highlight cards, four are post season memorable moments cards, and one is a Super Bowl MVP card (Eli Manning). The oversized commemorative card, which features happy Giants Rueben Droughns, Eli Manning and David Tyree, comes sealed in a plastic sleeve that is tucked in a cardboard pouch inside the box.

Nationally-issued football sets rarely include more than a dozen or so players from any given team, meaning most of the unheralded vets and fringe players in the league are usually snubbed on cardboard. This boxed set, with it's roster of 40 different players, ensures that most of the Giants who had a hand in capturing the Lombardi Trophy are represented. Offensive tackle David Diehl, nose tackle Barry Cofield, linebacker Reggie Torbor and fullback Madison Hedgecock are four examples of players who received little to no recognition in mainstream sets after their rookie seasons. Of course all of the Giants stars and starters are also included in the 40-card set, including Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey and Michael Strahan.

The final ten regular-sized cards feature the three subsets mentioned above; five regular season highlight cards, four post season memorable moments cards and an Eli MVP card. Each of the three subsets features a different design on both the fronts and backs. Of all the five different card designs found inside the box, my personal favorite is the swooping, oval design of the five season highlight cards. While all the designs found here may be a bit cluttered and too graphics-heavy for a regular card issue, a pass can be given when these kinds of designs are found on oddball issues (a pass in my mind, anyway). All the cards in this boxed set are numbered on the backs, as detailed in the checklist below.

All in all, Upper Deck created a nice box o' fun that effectively recaps the Giants' Super Bowl run during the 2007 season. The action photography is world class, and I noticed that the highlight cards feature photos from the actual games where the highlights occurred. Eli collectors definitely need to add a set to the archives, as he's the subject of three different cards. Plaxico and Tyree also capture three cards, while Strahan gets two. Unlike the fateful 1990 ProSet Super Bowl cards of yesterday, which were printed during the height of the junk wax era of overproduction, these Giants cards can't be found next to every anthill.

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Today's price will cost you about the same as when it was issued, in the $8 to $12 range.

Regular Season Player Cards

1. Eli Manning, QB

2. R.W. McQuarters, CB

3. Antonio Pierce, LB

4. David Diehl, T

5. Corey Webster, CB

6. Shaun O'Hara, C

7. Barry Cofield, NT

8. Kevin Boss, TE

9. Reggie Torbor, LB

10. Sam Madison, CB

11. Jeff Feagles, P

12. Madison Hedgecock, FB

13. David Tyree, WR

14. Grey Ruegamer, G

15. Gerris Wilkinson, LB

16. Rueben Droughns, RB

17. Domenik Hixon, WR

18. Kawika Mitchell, LB

19. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB

20. Jeremy Shockey, TE

21. Justin Tuck, DE

22. Amani Toomer, WR

23. Fred Robbins, DT

24. James Butler, SS

25. Brandon Jacobs, RB

26. Osi Umenyiora, DE

27. Aaron Ross, CB

28. Derrick Ward, RB

29. Chris Snee, G

30. Michael Strahan, DE

31. Gibril Wilson, FS

32. Sinorce Moss, WR

33. Lawrence Tynes, K

34. Jay Alford, NT

35. Kareem McKenzie, T

36. Zak DeOssie, LB

37. Kevin Dockery, CB

38. Rich Seubert, G

39. Michael Johnson, S

40. Plaxico Burress, WR

Regular Season Highlight Cards

SH1. Osi Umenyiora

SH2. Michael Strahan

SH3. Derrick Ward

SH4. Plaxico Burress

SH5. Brandon Jacobs

Post Season Memorable Moments Cards

MM1. R.W. McQuarters

MM2. Lawrence Tynes

MM3. David Tyree

MM4. Plaxico Burress

Oversized Commemorative Card

NYG -1 (Rueben Droughns, Eli Manning, David Tyree)

1987 and 1988 New York Giants Police Sets

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With a variety of NFL teams releasing local "police sets" as early as 1979, the New York Giants finally decided to release a few sets of their own, with the first two being in 1987 and 1988. Both sets feature twelve cards and measure approx. 4 1/8 by 2 3/4 inches in size. The year of issue is NOT mentioned on either set. We are mentioning both together due to their similarities, but when pictured side by side they are easy to differentiate.

The inaugural 1987 Giants Police set features color action photos on the fronts, with nothing above them but white border. All subject matter is found below the photos, to include the player's name, height, weight, position, college and a small Giants helmet near the middle. Head Coach Bill Parcells is featured on his first-ever card, pictured in a closeup studio portrait, with his name, title and small Giants helmet printed below the photo. Cards are not numbered. For reasons unknown, the photo used on running back Joe Morris' card is considerably smaller than those used on the other cards.

Here's a look at the front and back of Maurice Carthon's 1987 Giants Police card:

It is estimated that 10,000 of the 1987 sets were printed and distributed by the New Jersey State Police. The twelve-card roster features the majority of the stars found on those mid-1980's Giants powerhouse teams, with the exception of linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Here's the lineup, listed in order of uniform number:

(5) Sean Landeta, Punter

(11) Phil Simms, Quarterback

(20) Joe Morris, Running Back

(44) Maurice Carthon, Running Back

(53) Harry Carson, Linebacker

(58) Carl Banks, Linebacker

(60) Brad Benson, Tackle

(64) Jim Burt, Nose Tackle

(70) Leonard Marshall, Defensive End

(75) George Martin, Defensive End

(89) Mark Bavaro, Tight End

Bill Parcells, Head Coach

 The 1988 cards can be quickly identified on the fronts by locating two small Giants helmets and the "NEW YORK GIANTS" team name across the tops of the cards. The color photos are more centered towards the middle of the cards, and the player names, uniform numbers, height, position and weight are found on the bottoms. Coach Parcells and seven of his star players make another appearance in 1988, meaning only four "new" players are featured in the second set (center Bart Oates and wide receiver Phil McConkey being the most notable).

Here's a look at the front and back of Leonard Marshall's 1988 Giants Police card:

It is estimated once again that approx. 10,000 sets were printed and distributed by the New Jersey State Police. Lawrence Taylor is nowhere to be found, but the lineup is impressive nonetheless. The cards are listed by uniform number:

(11) Phil Simms, Quarterback

(20) Joe Morris, Running Back

(44) Maurice Carthon, Running Back

(53) Harry Carson, Linebacker

(63) Karl Nelson, Tackle

(64) Jim Burt, Nose Tackle

(65) Bart Oates, Center

(67) Bill Ard, Guard

(70) Leonard Marshall, Defensive End

(75) George Martin, Defensive End

(80) Phil McConkey, Wide Receiver

Bill Parcells, Head Coach

Both of these sets are somewhat difficult to find today, but I have noticed over the years that the 1987 set sells for more than the 1988 issue. The Bill Parcells "rookie card" in the '87 set is doubtlessly the main reason for this, with perhaps a bit of support from fan-favorites Sean Landeta and Mark Bavaro. We'd estimate the value of a complete 1987 set in the $40 to $50 range, and the value of the 1988 follow-up set closer to the $25 to $40 range.

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