Collectibles – C.M. Punk Featured on new NHL Card from Upper Deck

Blowout Buzz (@BlowoutBuzz) broke the news on Tuesday that C.M. Punk will be included in a new hockey card product from Upper Deck.

Punk will be included in the High Profile Fans insert set in 2015-16 Upper Deck Contours Hockey. The card features Punk’s signature and an oversized piece of Punk-worn Chicago Blackhawks memorabilia.

Upper Deck, once a giant in the sports card industry, has shrunk over the last decade after losing its MLB, NFL, NBA, and NCAA licenses. The NHL is the only major league sports license Upper Deck has left, and the trading card company has survived by producing non-sports cards for Marvel blockbusters (“Avengers,” “Thor,” “Captain America”) and others.

Adding celebrities to an NHL product like 2015-16 UD Contours is a unique and somewhat proven way to attract non-hockey collectors. Panini America, a competitor of Upper Deck, has included signatures from stars like Justin Bieber, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, ESPN broadcaster Michelle Beadle, actress Alyssa Milano, and others in its hockey products over the years.

According to Blowout Buzz, 2015-16 Upper Deck Contours will be released in March 2016. A full preview of the product is available at BlowoutBuzz.com.

Moore’s Take: This is a really cool card that’s going to appeal a lot of different collectors. It’s worth noting that this is Punk’s first certified autograph since 2014 Topps WWE, which was released in very early 2014, shortly after Punk left WWE after the Royal Rumble. His signed trading cards, particularly those from 2011 to 2014, have held their value since he left WWE.