UDA Unveils Japanese ‘Tegata’ Inked Handprint of Longtime Spokesman Michael Jordan

Traditional Japanese form of memorabilia reserved for only the most supreme athletes in their chosen sport

Carlsbad, CA (February 16, 2011) – Upper Deck Authenticated today announced the release of a never-before-seen Japanese Tegata inked handprint of longtime company spokesman Michael Jordan. A traditional form of Japanese memorabilia that is reserved for only the most supreme athletes, Jordan is the first of UDA’s impressive lineup of exclusive athletes to have a Tegata piece produced of him. The extremely rare keepsake is limited to just 23, which corresponds to MJ’s uniform number from his playing days with the Chicago Bulls.

“This is another first for Upper Deck Authenticated and it is only fitting that we would christen this unique process with our longest-tenured exclusive athlete, Michael Jordan,” said Steve Sloan, director of Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA). “Tegata is a highly respected form of recognition for Japan’s best sumo wrestlers and so we’ve decided to create a variation of this coveted show of admiration for one of our best-selling athletes of all time.”

Jordan, a six-time NBA champion with the Bulls who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, is the first stateside player ever to be honored with a unique ‘Tegata’ memorabilia piece from UDA. Utilizing handmade Japanese Fuji paper, Jordan has inked his left hand in black and included an authentic Inkan stamp which corresponds perfectly with the traditional craft. The overall keepsake, which measure 30” wide by 40” high, includes a 12” by 12” inset center upon which Jordan’s hand is inked and is surrounded by a double-matted mosaic background of on-court, action images of MJ throughout his 13-year tenure with the Bulls.

Jordan recently performed the Tegata process alongside UDA officials and helped in the actual hand-crafting of 23 uniquely authentic stamps for each keepsake. His unique, red Inkan stamp reflects his initials and uniform number. He then completed the autograph phase of UDA’s patented five-step authentication process by signing his name in silver across each handprint. Click on this video link to see Jordan inking and signing the exclusive Tegata: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9RoxWl6XFc.

“It’s an honor to be the first Upper Deck Authenticated spokesmen to be selected to go through this process,” said Jordan, who celebrates his 48th birthday tomorrow.

The prized piece of sports memorabilia, which carries a suggested retail price of $4,999.99, is now available at Upper Deck’s online store: www.upperdeckstore.com.

About Upper Deck Authenticated

Upper Deck Authenticated is the leading provider of authentic sports memorabilia, featuring exclusive autograph partnerships with the world’s greatest athletes including Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Through UDA’s patented five-step authentication process, the company guarantees the authenticity of its autographed products by witnessing and recording every signature, and through its unique hologram registry which allows fans to register and verify each autographed product online. For more information on UDA’s products and authentication process, visit www.upperdeckstore.com