Pen Marks on cards

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Posted By: Ted

As a collector (and not someone buying cards for profit).... i'm usually not detered by a card having something scribed on the back, but what affect do you think it should have on a grade/price of the card. Personally, i wouldn't pay as much for one with writing.....but who knows.

BlackSoxFan

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Posted By: HW

Depends on whether the back of the card is blank or not. Writing on the back of an Old Judge or Exhibit would not deter me from buying it, but I would want some sort of a discount compared to a ink-free example.

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Posted By: Ted

I agree..... all of my cards that have writing are T206...and although i may have over paid for them, at the time it was at a reduced price.

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Posted By: ted

i'd have thought this topic would have been far more interesting than my antique shop thread, but what do i know...haha

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Posted By: leonl

The reason threads don't get too many responses sometimes is that they have been discussed over and over on the board. I am not saying don't post about whatever you want to but if we have had many discussions on a topic it might not get the interest it would otherwise. Also, you posted an off topic about a ball in another thread. You will get much more slack than the other memorabilia thread because you are a frequent participant. Carry on and talk at ya later.....

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Posted By: Anonymous

I appreciate it very much.....

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Posted By: T206Collector

the post is not getting a lot of play because it states a question with an obvious conclusion -- writing on backs of cards diminishes value and therefore people prefer that their cards not have writing.

It's kind of like a topic about whether people like corner damage or creases. The answer -- they don't.

Now, of course, people will accept some defects over others based on personal preference, and perhaps that is what the post was really trying to get at. Personally, I'll take a nice rounded corner T206 SGC 60 with no creases or pen marks, over a PSA (MK) 6 with HAROLD W. SEWELL stamped in purple on the back. I don't think a card with a mark should ever grade higher than an SGC 40/VG/3. If you've got a hairline crease, that can sometimes be an SGC 50/VGEX/4, but a real crease is a 40/3 and more than one crease is at most a 30/GOOD/2.

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Posted By: leonl

In most true collectors eyes writing on the backs of blank backed cards doesn't diminish the value too much....only the slabheads will find them worth less....and yes, I like slabs but for different reasons than the grade....later

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Posted By: T206Collector

...you should write "Property of Leon" on the back of all of your blank backed cards. Or, better yet, let me write "My Other Backs Say Sweet Caporal" on the back of all of your blank backed cards. Even if you believe that the monetary value wouldn't diminish, you'd have to concede that the aesthetic value certainly would.

Put another way, writing on the back of a blank backed card cannot possibly enhance the value (unless it's an authentic autograph, I suppose). So the answer is either zero or minus.

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Posted By: leonl

I politely disagree. If I saw a common Old Judge with Buck Barker writing on the back, or a Jefferson Burdick writing, I would probably pay a small premium for it....as well as a few other collectors might....I don't think I will be putting my name on any of them because I am quite sure you would be correct in that case.....take care