Cutting Up Valuable Autographs

[T206Collector]

Tanner does truly great work — hobby magic really. I truly believe custom cards are the future of card collecting. And I love the way pairing an autograph or relic of a player with his baseball card — especially a T206 card — has the propensity to bring that player back to life in a way the card standing alone doesn’t achieve.

I commissioned Tanner to make this epic Harry Pattee booklet card, including his authentic autograph. I found an old Spalding Guide image of Pattee, and Tanner was able to incorporate it into this card, which pairs with his T206 a vivid image of Pattee’s profile — not unlike a 1983 or 1984 Topps card, carrying an action shot with a portrait.



In the late 1960s, Don “Barefoot” Post sent this T206 card, glued to a 4x6 index card, for Zach Wheat to sign. Which T206 collector today would volunteer his T206 card for gluing the tobacco advert on the back to a 4x6? But, thank the hobby gods he did. A T206 card alone will never reach the vibrancy of the combined efforts of Barefoot and Wheat.



To me it shouldn’t and doesn’t matter whether the paper or baseball holding the autograph are cut, provided the signature is preserved as fully as possible, and the act of cutting alone doesn’t destroy a unique historical record. The point of collecting is to enjoy the items while we have them and then pass them on — as enjoyed — to a future collector. As long as there is one future collector willing to carry the torch forward is the only thing that should matter.