Tuesday, November 25, 2008

To write or not to write

Someone thought a card of Willie Davis was worth selling didn't they?

This is a Topps Super card, which came from a set of 3-by-5 cards issued by Topps in three-card packs in 1970. The backs look identical to the backs of the regular-issue 1970 cards, but these cards are much thicker. They're more like slabs than cards.

But the reason this card is featured here is because of the hand-written price tag on it. I'm not sure how this card was obtained originally. I received it from Stats on the Back. Mark might have the answer. Perhaps it was picked up at a rummage sale in which the seller thought nothing of scrawling the price right on the card.

We've all seen examples of writing on baseball cards. Names scribbled out. New names scribbled in. Commentary added. Mustaches and glasses drawn on faces. We've all been amused by it. But part of our amusement comes from the knowledge that "we know better than that now."

Today, the only writing that you see on a card is an autograph. Cards are considered too valuable to have a pen touch the card in any other manner. No commentary, no scribblings, no mustaches. It got me thinking that, unless it is an autograph, I haven't seen writing on any card from the last 15-20 years.

I thought about it so much that I got curious. Just what would a modern-day card look like with a little scribbling?

So I did this:
So THAT'S what it would look like. Man, did that feel good. And don't worry, I have six of these Orlando Hudson A&G cards.

This one in particular will cost you 20 cents.

7 comments:

Spike Glidden said...

If you'd like to up the value a bit more, just cross out the incorrect "Hudson" and add the more inspiring "Pujols." 20 cents would be a BARGAIN.

Andy said...

Let's say Hudson signed his name and wrote 20 cents himself on there. If we put that card on eBay, would it sell for more or less than 20 cents? Probably more. Maybe he'd have to write 1 buck or something. It would be interesting to see if a player could sign the exact amount that his card ended up selling for.

--David said...

I think we should all find a card in our collections (a double to be sure!) and mark them up. It'll be kinda like Thorzul's artwork and your work all wrapped into one! :-)

jv said...

Do you take Pesos? I don't have any. I'm just curious if anyone is taking those things in this country nowadays.

What about rupees? I think you should do another card but write how many rupees you want for it. Or lira. Rupees or lira. Either one.

capewood said...

Writing on a card? Gasp!

Well, I've reached the point where I can actually throw away a card I don't want, say like 4 of the 6 copies of an Orlando Hudson card.

Joe S. said...

Remember when Sports Illustrated for Kids had a regular feature about funny captions kids would put on cards?!

They might still, but I haven't read one in 15 years, so I don't know for sure.

But I definitely used to "autograph" my cards with the name of the pictured player. No idea why, and I never sold them or anything. But I know what some of the other commenters mean about not being able to mark a card.

I had to find a card I had quadruples of from 92 Topps before I could bring myself to use it as a bookmark. I'm at work and can't remember who's card it is, but it's an Orioles pitcher with a mullet, if you're wondering.

Joe S. said...

Wait, I remember a little better now; it's a Padres pitcher. And yeah, this was just the other night!