[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

Upper Deck has made a few mistakes with the autographs, all identified as the
collectors and experts could examine the entire autographs.

I assume UD is using legit bats and jerseys, but there likely have been a few
mixups. For example, for a bat where two reputable bat experts will debate if
the bat counts as game used or not, one saying yes and one say no. And I beleive
there is a modern player case where the wrong jersey patch was inserted--
presumably a genuine game used patch, but no for the player.

Unlike with autographs, there may be no way for a collector to authenticate the
patch, certainly not as game used. As a collector, if I am spending good money
on a piece of memorabilia, I want it to be verifiable by me or other source. I
once bought a player's All-Star Game ring. I had my family friend and jewelry
expert verify that the diamond was genuine, which substantiated that it was
given to the player and not a salesman's sample.

In my opinion, the game used cards come across as a fad that will eventually
fade like the 'Promo Sample' craze. The market for cut signatures is well
established beyond card collecting, but the market for a shard of wood from
a game used bat disappears beyond cards. If Dave Bushing offered a naked shard
from a game used bat, it would likely get 0 interest and many would question
his sanity for offering it for sale. But once this worthless scrap is attached
to a Upper Deck card, it's suddenly worth lots of money. To me this is
indication of a fad.

At lest with those Comiskey Park bricks, you get an entire brick. With a chip
from the brick, you couldn't even be certain it came from a brick.