2024-25 Upper Deck Artifacts Hockey

Artifacts dropped in late 2024 as Upper Deck's premium mid-tier hockey release, sitting comfortably between Series 1 and The Cup in price and pull rates. You're getting 24 packs per box with two hits per pack, which means consistent value even if the specific cards aren't homerun pulls. The set leans heavily into young stars like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews alongside established veterans, with photography that emphasizes movement and intensity rather than the stiff poses of base products. Design-wise, the cards have that classic Artifacts feel with ornate borders and heavy use of gold foiling that makes even base cards feel premium. Rookie cards are present but not the main draw here since most prospects have better rookie homes in other products. What separates Artifacts is the parallel hierarchy and insert content. You're chasing Red, Gold, and Platinum versions alongside standard base, with the top tiers numbered low enough to matter. The Artifacts Memorabilia subset with jersey swatches is the bread and butter of hits in most boxes, and while not flashy, these hold steady value if you pull the right players. Autograph cards appear less frequently than some competitors, but when they land they're usually clean and on-card. Both hobby and retail configurations exist, with hobby boxes offering slightly better odds on the rarer parallels. The set also features team-based parallels that appeal to build-a-set collectors. Artifacts works best if you're looking for a middle ground between grinding budget boxes and dropping serious money on The Cup. It's not the set to open if you're chasing one specific rookie or autograph, since the odds don't favor that strategy. Better approach is to buy singles of players you actually want or target specific parallel colors from the secondary market. The product rewards box busting more than most products at this price point, so if you enjoy the rip experience and don't mind taking home solid second-tier hits, a box or two can be worthwhile.