2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review

WWE dominance over wrestling entertainment has lasted decades. However, that dominance appears to end with AEW’s foray into wrestling entertainment. All Elite Wrestling, launched three years ago, looks set to topple that dominance. Its popularity has surged bounds, and experts say they leverage TV deal renewals while closing the gap with WWE ratings. But how will the cards released from this promising new league fare? Read our 2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling review to find out.

Introduction To AEW Wrestling 

AEW’s massive success in its goal to topple WWE dominance has attracted tons of fans. AEW’s Dynamite debuted on TNT in 2019 and averaged 1.4 million viewers and was 18 – 40 year viewers’ second most-watched original cable broadcast.

Therefore, the growing fan base of AEW was thrilled when Upper Deck announced AEW as its latest addition to their trading card portfolio. Fans of AEW and collectors would be able to collect autographs and memorabilia cards of their AEW’s most talented and loved performers. The Upper Deck releases will compete with the Topps WWE releases for hobby dominance.

WWE used to dominate wrestling, but with stars like Chris Jericho AEW is very competitive. Look for Chris Jericho action figures on eBay.

History Of Upper Deck AEW Wrestling 

The 2021 Upper Deck AEW marks a couple of firsts. It is not only Upper Deck’s debut wrestling card series; it’s also AEW’s inaugural trading card set. As a result, there isn’t much to consider regarding product history. So instead, we have to go on with AEW’s popularity and the lineup on offer from Upper Deck.

Considering AEW’s massive strides in wrestling entertainment, we are understandably excited for this series. It’s set to feature every single one of AEW’s Champions and big names such as Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, and CM Punk, as well as an iconic card design.

The new product’s lineup also has wrestling legend Sting, AEW World Champion Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and AEW Tag Team Champions. Additionally, it’s adopted a flagship makeup style and utilizes a variety of card styles and types. Combined with memorabilia and autographs, which are guaranteed in every hobby box, this is sure to be a collector’s favorite already.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Release Date

While Upper Deck planned its inaugural release sometime later in the year, Paul Zickler, their Sports Brand manager, says the response to their exclusive partnership with AEW was so overwhelming they had to put out the first release.

The inaugural series from AEW and Upper Deck’s partnership was released on January 6, 2022. It puts AEW’s remarkable talents in the spotlight and is available for purchase at online stores.

The boxes are reselling for a far higher price than the presell. Check out the current value on eBay.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review Of What’s Hot

Upper Deck is a global giant in creating trading cards. They’ve been producing trading cards since the late 1980s and are responsible for several innovations in the hobby. For example, upper Deck uses over three decades of experience to design AEW’s inaugural sports cards series.

Additionally, everyone in the hobby knows that first edition series are always especially valuable. We can see this with the 1970-71 Topps basketball set, 1985 Topps WWF Pro Wrestling Stars, Pokémon First Edition, GBK Series One, and other trading card series. So even if AEW somehow falls off its pace – which is highly unlikely – this series may remain valuable just for the fact that it’s a first edition series.

The lineup of Upper Deck Releases First-Ever All Elite Wrestling Trading Cards includes all AEW top wrestlers Darby Allin, Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Tay Conti, Cody Rhodes, and many more. It also promises rare and iconic cards and guaranteed memorabilia in every hobby box. Hockey collectors familiar with the popular UD Canvas inserts would be excited to hear that it’s being introduced to AEW.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review Of What’s Not

Hobby boxes of the 2021 Upper Deck AEW cards came with a release price of $200. However, you’ll need to spend considerably more to get a box now. It costs $250 from any Upper Deck’s Authorized Internet Retailers and more than $300 on several other online card stores. This steep price has led to several complaints from fans who felt Upper Deck could have made the cards more affordable.

While some fans have complained about this price, most AEW fans and collectors maintain that “you get what you pay for .”They believe that while Upper Deck could have put out $50 boxes with low-grade cards, those cards wouldn’t hold age well or cost as much in the future.

The price, while relatively high, has done little to affect the sale of this product as stores keep running out of stock.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review Of Release Formats

While only Hobby boxes are available now, Upper Deck confirmed that there would be blaster packs, fat packs, and other retail formats “in time.”

The 2021 Upper Deck AEW cards were released earlier this month, on January 6.

 Hobby Box 

8 cards per pack

16 packs per box

16 boxes per case

4 Autographs

8 Memorabilia Cards

4 Wednesday in Action Inserts

The Darby Allen is one of the most coveted autos in the release. Look for his cards on eBay.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review Of The Price

As mentioned, hobby boxes of the 2021 Upper Deck AEW cost $200 at preorder. However, prices are pegged at $249.95 on all Upper Deck’s Authorized Internet Retailers.

You can purchase Hobby boxes of the 2021 Upper Deck AEW from any of the several Upper Deck Authorized Internet Retailers such as Dave & Adam Card World (decardworld), Steel City Collectibles, or East Coast Connection. Boxes are also available on eBay or through the online Upper Deck ePack platform.

2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review Of Value

While there are no previous releases for AEW and Upper Deck to consider, we have a ton of wrestling releases to base our value on. Therefore, we shall review various companies’ last 10 Wrestling trading card releases and see how they perform value-wise.

Wax

While these prices reinforce the argument that the 2021 Upper Deck AEW cards are overpriced at $250 per box, they have offered collectors a decent ROI. While the ROI is relatively modest, it’s important to note that 2021 wasn’t a particularly unique year for wrestling entertainment. This fact is reflected in the value of the value.

The 2021 Upper Deck AEW cards have several things going for them, making them especially valuable. First, it’s both AEW and Upper Deck’s first wrestling trading cards, and that alone should make it hold its value exceptionally well.

Singles

The Undertaker autos are proving to have strong value. Check them out on eBay.

We ensured we picked cards for the 2021 WWE releases to consider key singles’ value. Therefore, the list includes a card from every single 2021 release. Considering the cost per box, pull rate, and the average prices of single cards, collectors who banked on the 2021 WWE cards are already sitting on pretty good ROI. The potential returns are further increased if investors invest only in premium series like Transcendent.

Remember that Upper Decks AEW may hold more value than these cards, as it is an inaugural series. However, it is unclear what sort of premium the cards will enjoy due to this fact.

Bottomline Of The 2021 Upper Deck AEW Wrestling Review

We expect their experience to show via quality cards that will stand the test of time. Investment-wise, we expect the AEW and Upper Deck’s inaugural wrestling card series to hold value exceedingly well. Everyone knows the importance of rookie cards, and the 2021 Upper Deck AEW would more than deliver on that level. We’ll round up this article with a secret about wrestling trading cards for new collectors. The women’s cards also sell, sometimes even more than the guys. Happy collecting!