The Card

One of the things that I really dislike about the hobby today is the graded card. I understand the principle behind grading. Its main goal is to preserve, or that should be the main goal. This can lead to discrepancies among collectors. Many errors in grading have been found.

In some cases, the same card has been graded multiple times, with different grades as the result. What should the final grade be? How can a card that received a grade of 5, get a grade of 7 the second time it was submitted to the same service?

I just finished reading The Card. It's a fascinating look at the history behind the world's most famous (and expensive) card. After hearing rave reviews from other bloggers in the community, I decided to check out my local library for a copy. Sure enough, they had one on the shelf. I am the fifth person to check out this book since August.

The first thing that struck me after finishing the book is that most of the action took place around my neck of the woods. A lot of the action takes place in Burr Ridge and Oak Park, Illinois. That really opened my eyes. A good chunk of was orchestrated place right under my nose. It was very surprising to me.

At first, I thought an entire book about one card would be a boring read. It would have been, had it not been for the people involved. Friendships were ruined, collectors were stabbed in the back, people were screwed over and deception ruled most of the stories.

There are also personal accounts of the man himself, Honus Wagner. Learning more about the Flying Dutchman was worth the read alone. I feel like I grew up around him as I read about his hometown and his habits and haunts.

This book also documents the rise of baseball cards and memorabilia. It shows the reader how a hobby transformed from a few fanatic collectors writing letters to the beast that it was in the nineties to the premium cards of today. All thanks to one card.

In my estimation, this Gretzky Wagner should not be worth as much as it is. The credit for the inflation should be given to each owner of the card since 1985. Each owner has added to the legacy of this one card. Not many are willing to openly talk about the origins of the card.

The origins are debated and the reasons are argued for each. The only thing that I didn't like about the book was the feeling of anger at how some owners blatantly manipulated future owners. It's also humbling and sad to think that the card may not be all that it claims to be.

The most interesting story comes from two unexpected players who can't seem to catch a break. Although, it seems like they are their own worst enemy. For each step they take forward, they seem to shoot themselves in the foot and hop three steps back.

The book also exposes many problems in the system created by these "pioneers" that set up the card auctions and started the grading systems. If the mystery and thriller elements don't hook you in, the talk of cards and the industry definitely will.

This card has certainly had a great journey since its "discovery" in Hicksville. I'm still waiting for the definitive story of how it got there in the first place.

I still say that grading cards is evil. Cards should be allowed to breathe. I can see one or two of each card being graded for preservation sake, but not for collecting.

1910 Piedmont T206 - Billy Campbell

This is a card only a collector could love. The average person would shriek in horror at what was done to this card. It looks like the owner crumpled it up with the cigarette pack. Look at that paper loss and the creasing. The corners are so round that you can probably start to roll the card on its side. This shouldn't be worth anything, but it is.

If I presented someone with a 2007 Topps Update card of Darin Erstad in this same condition, they would look at me like I was crazy for trying to sell it. Unfortunately, people didn't care for their cards like most do today. Therefore, this condition is fairly common for a card almost 100 years old. It's a shame.

I wonder if this was the same Billy Campbell who won the Paul McCartney look-alike contest in 1966. Somehow, I doubt it. Although, if Beatle fans can think that the real Paul McCartney died in an automobile crash in 1966, then this guy could be his replacement. He looks more like John, in my opinion.

The sad fact is, I would probably cherish this card if it was in my collection. Not because of it's condition, but because of it's age. Plus, I bet it would tell wonderful stories of where it has been, if it could talk. Maybe an uncle gave it to his baseball loving nephew in 1910. He might have taken it everywhere with him. It may have gone with him to war or stayed glued to a scrapbook or taped to a wall. We may never know if it's been handed from person to person like a doobie at a college party.

We can only judge this card by it's present condition. It has lived a full life, but what that life was is anyone's guess.