2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball Cards

Product Details

2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball is one of the most important sports card sets of all-time. When it first came out, the general public gasped over the then-unheard-of $500-per-pack price tag. Most collectors only wish they could go back in time and snatch up cases at such a bargain when compared to today's selling prices, if you can even find them.

Bolstered by one of the greatest rookie classes ever, the set took the hobby to new heights. 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball redefined the high-end market. It truly was a game-changing product.

2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball Set Details

The base set has 78 cards, all numbered to 225 or less. Base cards have two basic parallels. Gold cards and are numbered to 25. Rainbow parallels are all one-of-ones. Hits also come into play with parallels. Jersey (#/25), Patch (#/10) and Autographed Patch (1/1) cards add another chase level to the base cards. Signed rookie parallels are numbered to the player's jersey number.

The base set includes 36 rookie cards that come with both an on-card autograph and a patch swatch. Most of these rookies are serial-numbered to 225. However, many of the top rookies in 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball are limited to just 99 copies. This includes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. Even ungraded, these key rookie cards sell for many thousands of dollars on the rare occasions they hit the open market. Autographed rookie patch cards fall one per pack.

But 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball is about so much more than just a handful of rookie cards that are in short supply. Every single-pack box also provides an additional autographed patch card that is numbered to 100 or less.

While low print runs can go a long way, it's the stellar checklists that help make the set so special. These include some truly amazing pieces from many of basketball's all-time greats. Upper Deck's exclusive autograph deal with Michael Jordan certainly bolsters the appeal. At the time, they also had exclusive deals with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball has several levels of patch cards, all of which are extremely limited. The most compelling options are the autographed Emblems of Endorsement (#/15) cards and the one-of-one All-NBA Access Pass Dual Logoman cards. Although some of these seem a little more commonplace now, they were extremely innovative at the time. That's why Exquisite Collection remains popular all these years later.

Check out the hottest Exquisite card auctions by using our real-time guide.

Even now, 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball isn't for everyone. Still, it's a release most collectors dream and drool of opening now. It showed, once again, that even the high price tags can lead to some of the largest gains.

See also: Inside Story of 2003-04 Exquisite LeBron James Rookie

Key 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Basketball Cards:

• LeBron James RC #78 #/99 Autograph Patch
• Dwyane Wade RC #74 #/99 Autograph Patch
• Carmelo Anthony RC #76 #/99 Autograph Patch
• Chris Bosh RC #75 #/99 Autograph Patch
• Michael Jordan #3 #/225