The Card Is Mightier Than The Pen

I present to you... the "Player Used Pen Relic"!

Bryce's expression pretty much says it all. Just when I think I've found all the idiotic relics out there, I find pictures of this one. It's a 1/1, so you know it's worth something.

:::eye roll:::

At least this relic is signed, so there is some kind of value attached to the card. Pens, tablecloths... is there no end to the madness? If this is the state of the hobby, I might have the wrong hobby.

I would be a little angry if I found this in a pack of Topps Tier One. I'd laugh a little too, but that's just me. I don't necessarily want this in my collection, so what kind of resale value would something as "unique" as a pen relic have? It helps that Bryce's signature is on it. It helps that Bryce Harper is one of the most talked about players in the game at the moment. That would push the value up. What would someone be willing to pay for something like this though?

A quick scan of eBay shows that a 1/1 Bryce Harper autographed card is selling on average for $500. Does the used pen add to that value or detract from it? How much would you be willing to pay for a used pen piece? What if it what used by your favorite superstar player? How much would you pay now? What if I threw in a scowling picture of said superstar? How much would you pay? Still not convinced? Final offer. The pen piece, the scowling picture, his autograph and it's the only one out there. It's one of a kind! How much would you pay now?

It seems like Topps is trying to sell Ginsu knives on a late night commercial. Maybe Sham-Wow (it's a sham! Wow!) or something. Have the card companies grave robbed all the relics? Will Indiana Jones have to come ot of retirement to steal them all back?

As you can see, there are way more questions than actual answers when it comes to relics like this. The question still remains... how much would you pay for this card?

2019 Topps Now Manny Machado Relic

I like the idea of Topps Now. It's basically a card on demand system that allows you to order cards of selected events for a 24 hour window. Nice, huh?

Recently, Topps Now has gotten parallel crazy, much like their brick and mortar releases. This card is available in regular for $9.99. It also has relic parallels.

A relic parallel numbered to 99 is $39.99. A relic parallel numbered to 49 is $69.99. A relic parallel numbered to 25 is $99.99. A relic parallel numbered to 10 is $149.99. A relic parallel numbered to 5 is $249.99. A relic parallel numbered to 1 is $799.99.

Did I mention that the relic is a tablecloth?

RANT MODE ON:

Of all the idiotic, stupid, money grabbing schemes that Topps could think of, this one takes the cake! I understand game used items. It's part of the appeal of getting closer to the game. Uniforms, bats, bases, and dirt. These are all things that either were used in a game or had the potential to be. I can even see stadium seats, since that is an integral part of the game experience and the ambience of the sport. But a tablecloth that was used at the announcement of a signing? What idiot thought this was a good idea? What possible connection does a tablecloth have to the game. If you want to have a connection to a player at a major signing, take the uniform jersey that he was wearing, not the tablecloth. Did someone eat paint chips as a kid? Who the hell thought this was a good idea? They should be suspended. This relic makes me want to have a picnic, not see a baseball game.

RANT MODE OFF:

I'm glad that Manny Machado did not sign with the team I follow. I would not want to feel at all compelled to entertain the thought of purchasing this relic to complete a collection. This is probably one of the stupidest "relics" I have seen. It makes of mockery of the entire relic system. The only reason for these cards is a quick cash grab. I'm not going to judge if you want one of these cards. That is your personal preference. I just don't see a reason for it.

I'm all about living in the moment. I love the idea of Topps Now. This is a monstrosity. A travesty. A disgrace to card collecting. Those are just my thoughts, though.