Posted By:
runscottI remember seeing really trashed Spalding Guides sell on ebay for about $20 2-3 years ago, some coverless with severel edge damage - you could get a reading copy cheap. Not any more - a few entrepreneurs started tearing out the team photos, which were on glossy paper in the 1900-1906 volumes (I could be off on this range a little), and so survived without browning of pages, and selling them individually on ebay. They were very nice and would sometimes individually bring the price that was paid for the guide. I didn't have a problem with this practice personally because the guides were so trashed that they were practically of no value, and the pictures were great to look at. So why not matt, frame, and hang them on the wall for all to appreciate? And you still had the resulting book, sans full-page team photos, to reference.
Then Roy Huff expanded the practice to include cutting up ALL books and magazines, regardless of rarity or condition, and loosely disguising the cut-outs as "graded" "cards" (though as David has pointed out - he describes them as 'cut-outs' and the people who bid on them ain't too bright). I don't know how many of these guides exist, but Huff and now others, are destroying them almost in bulk now - check the ebay listings. I refuse to sell any of my Spalding or Reach guidebooks on ebay any more, simply because I know odds are that they will end up in AAA holders.