2024-25 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hobby Box

Average hobby box contents:

• 1 Autograph or Relic Diamond non-autograph
• 1 basic card or basic parallel
• 1 exquisite collection card
• 3 additional cards (regular insert, Tech and/or Memorabilia non-auto/exquisite collection)

Hobby boxes contain only six cards. The main card is either an autograph or a diamond. There are also three memorabilia cards or inserts, plus one card from the Exquisite collection. A standard base card or parallel card completes the set.

On the one hand, with 100 cards, the basic set is modest in size. But considering the price and the fact that each box doesn't contain a standard card, there won't be many specific cards. This is reflected in the numbering, with each box numbered 349.

The checklist consists of 60 veterans, 10 legends and 30 recruits. Green (/10) and gold (1/1) are the only standard parallels. That said, the basic cards also benefit from a number of premium enhancements. First and foremost are the Diamond Relics, which contain between one and four transparent diamonds, depending on the player. They are available in five copies each, as well as a Pure Black version with black diamonds.

Diamond Relic Rookies remain one of the cornerstones of Black Diamond. Like the Diamond Relics in the basic series, they feature one, two, three or four clear diamonds. The idea is that the better the prospect, the more diamonds it has. Basic versions are numbered to 99, with additional Emerald (/10) and Pure Black (1/1) parallels on the checklist.

2024-25 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey has more bling in some familiar places.

The color band crosses the rainbow with six gems, all a different shade. There are only 24 for veterans and 25 for rookies, and no parallels outside the one-off Pure Black.

Gemography (/25) combines an autograph with a diamond. Emerald (/5) and Pure Black (1/1) can also be found.

The 2024-25 Upper Deck Black Diamond Hockey checklist is important, with several inserts highlighting traditional successes.

Diamond Debut Relics are fairly easy to shoot with 1:4 packs. However, print runs are considerably smaller for the Auto Patch parallels, which have 49 or 25 copies.

The colorful Draft Jewels are back with versions for beginners and veterans.

Other signature sets include Signature Rookie Gems, Sparkling Scripts (1:8 packs), Sparkling Rookie Scripts (1:12 packs) and Signature Clarity (1:40 packs).

For memorial themes, Diamond Mine Relics are also 1:4 packs. There are also similar double (1:10 packs) and triple (1:20 packs) versions.

In recent years, Black Diamond has emerged as one of the places to find impressive inserts that push the medium and its technology. 2024-25 sticks to what has already worked in this regard.

This starts with the Rookie Gems (/399), which have red (/100) and green (/10) parallels. Other first-year themes include Diamond Futures (/249) and Rookie Diamond Cutters (/99). Diamond Futures also feature Premium Relic autographs and rare Diamond Relic autographs.

Manufactured relics appear in a few places. The Edmonton Oilers are the focus of Retired Numbers cards, which use manu-patches to reproduce the banners hanging from the team's ceiling. The gold autographs are limited to the jersey number.

Field hockey history patches come in packs of 1:12. Gold parallels, some with signatures, are issued in editions of 25.

Jumbo crests with team logos (1:5 packs) and Jumbo crests with rookie team logos (1:3 packs) serve as puzzle pieces. The parallels of these patches mix different logos. There are also similar autographs, the Rookie Team Logo Jumbo Patch Autographs, which contain a complete patch and are not puzzle-like. The maximum number of copies is 99, depending on the logo.

Other insert themes include Diamond Facet (1:10 packs), Diamond Gallery (1:10 packs), Diamond Stars (/249), Diamond Legends (/249), Diamond Might (/99), and Run for the Cup (/99).

As far as the Upper Deck portfolio is concerned, Exquisite represents one of the most prestigious. But in field hockey, they have La Coupe. So, instead of doing both as stand-alone releases, Exquisite has been sprinkled in various high-end products over the past few years.

The first installment of the Exquisite Hockey Collection 2024-25 can be found here.

The standard Veterans and Rookies are both numbered at 399 and have Gold (/99) and Gold Spectrum (/25) versions.

Rookie Draft Day inserts are numbered at 349 with Gold (/75) and Gold Spectrum (#/player draft position) parallels.

They are joined by Exquisite Collection Tandems (/299) and Moments (/99).

Exquisite also has a handful of memorabilia-focused inserts in 2024-25 Black Diamond Hockey.

Extra Exquisite Jersey Rookies are the most common with 349 copies each. The Gold and Silver Spectrum parallels are both numbered to 10, while the Gold Spectrum are one-offs. Similar Extra Exquisite Vets/Legends jerseys have varying print runs, but all have serial numbers. The three levels of parallels are each numbered to three.

Other relic themes include Veteran Materials, Rookie Patch Variants (/99), Dual Swatch Rookies (/75), and Rookie Jumbo Patches (/10).