Upper Deck to Release Obama Victory Trading Card
Maybe it wasn’t quite as lopsided as Ronald Reagan’s 49-state thumping of Walter Mondale in 1984, but it was almost as convincing. On Tuesday, Democratic nominee Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States after defeating Republican John McCain in their hard-fought race to the White House. And once again, Upper Deck is recording history by producing a single “Presidential Victor” card of Obama, bringing the trading card company’s year-long crusade of chronicling the 2008 Presidential race to a dramatic close.
Unlike the previously released caricature sports cards of many of this
year’s candidates, the final card from Upper Deck will not be included in
any of the trading card company’s releases. Instead, it will be shared through
select hobby shops across the country. Each of the participating stores will
receive no more than 100 cards, keeping demand for the sought-after trading card
high.
“The best way for us to bring our ‘Presidential
Predictor’ series come to a logical end was to release a
‘Presidential Victor’ card showing the winner,” said Chris
Carlin, Upper Deck’s hobby marketing manager. “We are happy to work
with our most supportive hobby shops to provide them with these unique cards,
which they can share with their customers. No matter which party you supported,
this was a historic election, and this card represents a great way for Upper
Deck to commemorate the 2008 Presidential race.”
The latest card (PV-1) is appropriately entitled “President
Barack Obama.” Its cardfront illustration is based on the postgame Gatorade
dousing of Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy after his team defeated the
Chicago Bears, 29-17, in Super Bowl 41. Upper Deck changed the participants in
the celebratory scene to represent Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, President-Elect
Obama and future First Lady Michelle Obama. Timely with a sports theme, the cardback
text reads:
With his resounding victory in this year’s U.S. presidential election, Barack
Obama made history in more ways than one. Not only was he the first
African-American to be nominated by either party as a candidate, but he is now
the first of his race to be sworn in as Commander-in-Chief. Just like Tony
Dungy’s accomplishment in 2007 when he became the first African-American
head coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, Obama did the same for White House
politics in 2008. “Change We Can Believe In” was his campaign
slogan throughout the year. Now it’s time to start believing.
The Barack Obama Presidential Victor card will be available in mid-November as a gift with purchase of any Upper Deck products at hundreds of hobby shops nationwide. Please visit www.presidentialpredictor.com for a list of shops that will be sporting these special cards.