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Upper Deck’s New Grateful Dead Trading Cards Are a Collector’s Dream
The box set pays tribute to Grateful Dead iconography, characters, show posters, and memorable career moments
By Tim Chan
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February 26, 2026
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The Grateful Dead‘s 60th-anniversary celebration is continuing into 2026 with the release of a new collectible Grateful Dead trading card set from Upper Deck.
Long known for its sports trading cards, Upper Deck’s latest release celebrates one of the most popular and enduring bands in music history, with a new 55-card box set that pays tribute to Grateful Dead iconography, characters, show posters and memorable career moments. Each box includes a 50-card “base set” with five additional special-edition variants that could include themed inserts, autograph cards or serial-numbered cards that are sure to become coveted collectors’ items. These so-called “chase cards” also include Dancing Bear parallel and a 1/1 High Potency Purple variant.
LIMITED-EDITION RELEASE
Upper Deck Grateful Dead 60 Years So Far Retail Box
This is an officially-licensed release between Grateful Dead and Upper Deck.
In addition to the character cards — think the aforementioned Dancing Bears, Skull and Roses and Uncle Sam — collectors can also pull “Transmissions from Dave’s Desk” cards, which detail the work of the band’s official archivist, producer and legacy manager, David Lemieux. Per a release, these cards feature “artwork, setlists, and show-facts from the first 50 ‘Dave’s Picks’ albums.” Collectors also have the chance to pull parallel cards autographed by Lemieux himself – each numbered to five. Everything is presented in full, vibrant color as befitting the psychedelic band.
“We’re incredibly excited to collaborate with one of the most celebrated bands to ever take the stage, and give music fans another way to connect with the Grateful Dead,” says Travis Rhea, Director of Entertainment Brands at Upper Deck. “In addition to amazing, iconic music, the Grateful Dead are known for vibrant colors and incredible visuals, perfect for music trading cards. They also have one of the most dedicated fanbases the industry has ever seen, so we can’t wait for Dead Heads to get their hands on our Grateful Dead collectibles.”
“I’ve dedicated much of my life to showcasing the joy that the Grateful Dead spread through their music, so working with Upper Deck to translate that journey into trading cards has been really special,” adds Lemieux. “From characters that have become synonymous with the band to tour posters that are a trip through time, there is so much for Dead Heads to enjoy in this set.”
Officially dubbed the “Grateful Dead – 60 Years So Far… A Visual Trip Trading Card Set,” the Upper Deck cards are available now online at retailers like Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods and GameStop.com. As with all collectible cards (and Grateful Dead merch) these sets are expected to sell quickly so we recommend adding to cart while they’re still available online.
Of course, the band actually marked their 60th anniversary last year — Grateful Dead formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965.
The Grateful Dead trading cards are the latest entertainment-themed release from Upper Deck — the company announced a deal in January to create trading cards and collectibles inspired by the Harry Potter franchise. The cards are expected to be released later this year, timed to the 25th anniversary of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone film.
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