SGC Got It Right - Ken Griffey Jr. Buyback 2/10
 

SGC authenticated this 1997 Ken Griffey Jr. SP Autograph Buyback Card as a 2/10. These cards were actually numbered to 312. Someone obviously erased the actual XXX/312 number and changed it to 2/10, hoping to cash in on big bucks.

It's frustrating that SGC would authenticate this card as a 2/10, just because it was numbered 2/10. If they did a simple search, SGC could have easily found the list of cards and production numbers for the 1997 SP Autograph Buyback Cards, and would have seen that this card was numbered to 312. They should have never authenticated this card. UGH!

The card is currently on Ebay with a Buy it Now price of $8,000 or Best Offer. Credit to the seller that they do explain in the description that these cards were numbered to 312, but it's possible the cards were mis-numbered or originally to be release as a card only limited to 10 made. As you look at the BAE serial numbers listed below, it's obvious this card was one of the 312.

Unless there is proof of that from Upper Deck, it must be treated as someone changing the number to 2/10.

Likely this card was sent as a replacement for a card that was damaged coming out of the pack.

UD always had a few signed cards to be used for replacements in addition to the actual run. They probably just failed to number the card at all and hence it was open for any number. Surprised it was not numbered 1/1 if indeed it was sent out with no number.

No way the original number was removed IMO. The spot on the card where the # is shows no signs of removal.

At any rate, UD verified that it was a buyback to me although they never responded with the actual number assigned as they probably have no idea so SGC did nothing wrong IMO. It is a legitimate autograph and has a 2/10 number on it that possibly did come that way from UD.

It is certainly not worth $8K but is worth more than the regular numbered ones sell for.

Randall,

Agree with most of what you said. Possible replacement card, not numbered, and someone added the 2/10. None of the 1997 SP Autograph Buyback Ken Griffey Jr.'s are numbered to 10. That is a fact. It is not a legit 2/10 buyback card. However, I understand what you're saying, SGC only put the 2/10 on the holder label, because it's on the card. Feel bad for the person who thinks it's a legit 2/10 and pays big $$$ for it.

Not likely anyone will. UD may have originally considered a run of 10 and decided against it but had them numbered and sent this one out as a replacement by mistake. I still say that if the card was sent with no number, why not make it 1/1 or 1/10 rather than 2/10. It will always have an * associated with it and the seller did indeed provide some important information about the card and only surmised what he thought it was.

Just thought I would mention that I used to own one of these, probably eight or so years ago. I just went back and checked my records and it was numbered 9/10. Sorry I unfortunately do not have a scan of it.

This is definitely a mystery that I will continue to try to figure out. At this point, the facts are there were no Ken Griffey Jr. 1997 SP Autograph 1996 Upper Deck SP Buyback cards numbered to 10; only numbered to 312. I contacted Upper Deck and they could only verify the Upper Deck Hologram Number BAE12239 as a buyback card.

The reason SGC didn't authenticate the card as a 1997 SP Autograph Buyback card is because the COA card wasn't submitted with the card. Beckett does the same thing.

The 1997 SP Autograph Buyback cards came with a secondary COA card (like this Arod one). So many collectors lost or misplaced the COA card, and since Upper Deck lost their database for these cards, Upper Deck Customer Service will verify via email the cards as buyback cards, but can't be more specific. That part is definitely frustrating.

So, after further research, I found two 1997 SP Vintage Autograph Buyback cards that did not have handwritten serial numbers on them. One 1995 SP Ken Griffey Jr. (BAE 12394) and one 1996 SP Ken Griffey Jr. (BAE 12144). Both were most likely signed replacement cards, hence no handwritten serial numbers. I will continue my research on these cards.

Well, after more research, I found a 1997 SP Vintage Autograph Ken Griffey Jr. Buyback Card 5/10. Both the 2/10 and 5/10 are in the same handwriting. Although Upper Deck doesn't have record of these cards with a production run of 10, it seems at some point, they did do a run of 10.

Randall, good job on your thoughts and assessment on these cards!

Upper Deck didn't do that great of a job with quality control and documenting these cards properly.

Maybe they were special gifts to a few select people and not distributed via packouts? I have seen at least one person post something online related to Griffey that he said UD had sent him at some point. Could have been contest winners, VIPs, back-doored executive/proof type cards...really could have been anything the imagine could think up as to why or how an otherwise unknown card appears. As you said, the card makers really didn't care all that much about keeping solid records on that kind of stuff anyway, so there will likely continue to be these little mysteries that pop up now and again.

Thanks!