Errant Writing on Vintage Baseball Cards.....

[Cozumeleno]

Most of the time I would probably say that the writing doesn't enhance the card. An exception might be something cool related to that time period (i.e. a mention of a President, a date, etc.). Just writing like numbers and scribbling? Not really an enhancement in my eyes.

But I will say that, as largely a collector of low- and mid-grade cards, it generally doesn't bother me as long as the price reflects that of a low-grade card.

Scribble from topps Sorry for being more recent

[pokerplyr80]

Aside from a player's autograph I haven't seen writing on a card that I have felt enhanced it. If it was something unique I can see how it would be possible.

I do not have a problem with a collector removing writing or glue or anything that was not on the card originally.

[swarmee]

Love the backs of those Beatles cards. The Bob Gibson is just defacing it, not enhancing. I sold a Lew Alcindor rookie that had his name scratched out and relabeled "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar" and have seen a lot of teams scratched out on vintage cards with the new team written over it.
Definitely the cards owned by the early founders of the sports card collecting cadre (Burdick et al) are enhanced by the writing on the backs, IMO. Plus the proofs submitted to the Patent Office have been defaced but improved.