HOW CAN YOU TOP THE ULTIMATE? BE A PLAYER HAS JUST DONE IT!

Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition incorporates many of the elements that helped make last year's edition the most successful trading card product of the year.

Every card is encased in a hard plastic holder. Each holder is labeled and sequentially numbered. The product consists of 40 different subsets, each with varying print runs. No single card will have a print run in excess of 50. The entire run of cards will be sequentially numbered to 25,000. Every card will either be autographed or adorned with a piece of game-used memorabilia. The selection of players and the caliber of game-used memorabilia is second-to-none.

Each pack of Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition will hold one card. That card will come in a black velvet pouch with a "window" that will permit collectors to identify the card without removing it. Each pouch will feature the Ultimate Memorabilia logo in gold-foil stamping.

And now for the really big news! Each card will be professionally graded by Beckett Grading Services. Collectors readily acknowledge the increasing importance of the professionally graded card within hobby circles. They also agree that Beckett Grading Services has evolved as the pre-eminent professional grading service in the industry.

"It's important to me that if we bill our product as 'The Ultimate,' it must live up to its name," explained In the Game President Dr. Brian H. Price. "As successful as we were with last year's edition, we knew we had to reach even higher in order to accomplish our goals this year. The relationship with Beckett Grading Services, the more attractive packaging, and the amazing array of cards we have created for Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition has helped us attain this goal.

"It was also imperative that we maintain the same price point as last year's release. Our competitors have created their own brands consisting of one memorabilia card per pack and yes, some are less expensive. However, when you examine the production figures, analyze the calibre of players, and most imortantly, the value of the memorabilia used in these brands, I believe nothing matches the value and quality of the Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition."

There will be no fewer than 40 different subsets in The Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition incorporating nearly 900 different memorabilia cards. The list is as follows:

NHL Goal Leaders - featuring the NHL goal leaders from the last 20 years.
500-Goal Scorer Autographs
500-Goal Scorer Jerseys - all 500-goal scorers are represented here.
500-Goal Scorer Emblems - all 500-goal scorers are represented here.
500-Goal Scorer Stick and Jersey - all 500-goal scorers are represented here.
Dynamic Duos - featuring awesome player pairings
Game-Used Jerseys - highlighting all the biggest names of today
Game-Used Emblems
Game-Used In the Numbers
Stick and Jerseys
Dynasty Jerseys - honoring players from the championship era of the Flyers, Islanders and Canadiens.
Dynasty Emblems
Dynasty In the Numbers
Stanley Cup Playoff Records - features players who have shone in the post-season.
Captain C - comprised of great team captains from the present and past complete with a piece of the actual "C" from their game-worn jersey.
Active Eight - active career leaders in key statistical categories.
Retro-Active Trophy - exciting combinations of a current and retired player who have both won the same trophy.
Silver and Gold Autographs - featuring the biggest names of yesterday and today.
Players of the Decade - spotlights key players at different positions from the 1940s through the 1980s.
Les Canadiens - a tribute to all the greatest names from the NHL's most famous franchise.
Bloodlines - combinations of players who are related
Terry Sawchuk Legend - Today's best goalies paired with an NHL legend and a piece of memorabilia from each.
Calder Memorial Trophy - featuring various prominent Calder winners from 1939 to 2001.
The Production Line - honoring the famous Red Wing trio
Prototypical Players - combining today's top talent with various retired legends who played a similar style.
Emblem Attic - commemorating retired greats with a memorable design.
Gloves Are Off - utilizing pieces of game-worn gloves from active and retired greats.
Stanley Cup Winners - honors all the players who have hoisted the coveted mug most often.
Retired Numbers - honors those whose numbers have been retired by the franchise they excelled with.
Journey Jerseys - each card comes with two pieces of jersey from two teams a star has performed with.
Journey Emblems
Retro Teammates - comprised of famous trios who were teammates at one time.
Cornerstones - memorabilia pieces from four prominent players from the original six franchises.
All-Star History - recalls the greatest names ever to perform in all 52 All-Star games.
Name Plates - cards adorned with pieces of the player's nameplate found on the back of his game-worn jersey.
Waving the Flag - pays homage to players from various countries who have excelled in international play.
Ultimate Rookie of the Year - a redemption card good for a very limited memorabilia card featuring the winner of the 2002 Calder Trophy.
Ultimate Most Valuable Player - a redemption card good for an very limited memorabilia card featuring the winner of the 2002 Hart Trophy.
Ultimate Vezina Winner - a redemption card good for a very limited memorabilia card featuring the winner of the 2002 Vezina Trophy.

What a list! And remember every card is either a memorabilia or an autographed card. And every card has been professionally graded by Beckett Grading Services.

"One of the keys to the success of last year's Ultimate Memorabilia Series was the quality and quantity of memorabilia used in the production of the cards and we've raised the bar even more this year," says In the Game's Vice-President of Production Ken Whitmell. "To illustrate the point, it's very impressive to have a Terry Sawchuk Detroit Red Wings jersey but we are not satisfied until we can also offer our collectors cards featuring Sawchuk pads, sticks or gloves.

"This is just one example that shows the memorabilia collection used in this project is second to none in the world. Each piece of memorabilia is hand cut and each card is hand-made. The Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition is the ultimate collectible."

Be A Player's Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition is scheduled for release in May.

In the Game, Inc. has produced the Be A Player brands of hockey trading cards since 1998-99. Their lineup of products for 2001-02 includes The Memorabilia Series (released August 2001), Parkhurst (released December 2001), Between the Pipes (released March 5, 2002), The Signature Series, and The Update Series in addition to The Ultimate Memorabilia 2nd Edition.