What do you think of Hand Cut cards

[joshuanip]

Looking at the various things to collect, there seems be be an infinite list (then mrestraint after looking at my available funds).

Strip or hand cut cards seems to be great additions. Especially since they are earlier and affordable representations of Ruth. But I can’t seem to get around to collect hand cut cards because I do t know when they were cut. Then again, does it matter? I truly don’t know.

Curious what the board thinks of hand cut cards and if my reservations are just uneducated predispositions against strip cards. Thanks.

[ALR-bishop]

[EvilKing00]

i have quite a few hand cut ruth strip cards. love them

[TUM301]

another collector that doesn`t mind strip or hand cut cards. Bye the way Al, that`s an awesome Ruth/Fleer back you have there sir, enjoy that rarity.

[DeanH3]

I'm totally fine with hand cut cards. I do prefer they are cut symmetrically and not way off. And "when" they were cut doesn't concern me as we know up front they were hand cut at some point. There are some great hand cut cards to be had. Good luck.

[Fred]

Hand cut cards should only be given an "Auth" grade. Let eye appeal of the buyer determine the price. Same with cards that have a coupon removed (Zeenuts, for example). Those should be given an AUTH label if the coupon has been removed.

Someone can still cut the edges of a hand cut card tomorrow so that the card has razor sharp corners. Also, you could pop a hand cut card with huge borders from a slab, recut the card and make it have greater eye appeal and a higher grade.

TPG companies have no clue....

[iowadoc77]

Probably one of the best ways to collect vintage on a limited budget and still be able to get the big names.

[CobbSpikedMe]

I like strips since many of them are from the 20's and there isn't as much in the way of tobacco or candy cards from those years. I like the way they came in strips and were meant to be cut apart. But some kids butchered them when they separated them.

Of course some of them could be cut years later to clean them up and give them better grades. Does that bother you though? Considering they were meant to be cut anyway, does it matter if they were cut 90 years ago or last year? Are cards pulled from vintage packs today not as good as cards pulled from packs in the 50's?

[joshuanip]

Good points. When the cutting occurs does make a difference for me. If it was cut by kids around the time it was distributed, it's part of the history of the card. That is a big difference from having someone in modern time cut the card again to get a higher TPG score. Problem is you don't know unless its razor sharp, and then you definitely know (maybe). Such as the gem mint one circulating on eBay every now and then.

I guess it makes sense to have them all graded as authentic rather than a grade. And if you are comfortable with that, then there are beautiful examples at great prices. The one that made me even go into this meaningless rant was the W516 ruth that shows him as a yanks pitcher. Im sure one day I'll pick up an authentic grade one.

[calvindog]

[Peter_Spaeth]

I have no issue with hand cuts. My issue is more that I don't like most of the images on the strip cards.

[Steve D]

As long as the image of the player is fairly realistic (not cartoonish), the card is cut reasonably straight and is not undersized, I have no problems with hand-cut cards.

Steve

[Snapolit1]

Zero issue. Have some great Ruth and Gehrigs. But agree with others that I am not really into the awful cartoon images.

[ATL]

I love hand cuts, particularly 1911 Baseball Bats. Here is a nice 1 of 1...

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by joshuanip

When the cutting occurs does make a difference for me. If it was cut by kids around the time it was distributed, it's part of the history of the card. That is a big difference from having someone in modern time cut the card again to get a higher TPG score.

OK, however, what if someone today takes an uncut strip of circa 1920s cards, and cuts them down to get them graded as singles. Does/should that make a difference? How do you separate our two scenarios?

Steve

[pokerplyr80]

I don't own any, but am not opposed to them. I also don't mind them having numerical grades, nor would I really care when they were cut.

[rgpete]

Raw hand cut

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Fred

Hand cut cards should only be given an "Auth" grade. Let eye appeal of the buyer determine the price. Same with cards that have a coupon removed (Zeenuts, for example). Those should be given an AUTH label if the coupon has been removed.

Someone can still cut the edges of a hand cut card tomorrow so that the card has razor sharp corners. Also, you could pop a hand cut card with huge borders from a slab, recut the card and make it have greater eye appeal and a higher grade.

TPG companies have no clue....

+1

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I have no issue with hand cuts. My issue is more that I don't like most of the images on the strip cards.

I hate strip cards, for this reason and because I just don't like hand-cut cards that get grades. They should all be graded Authentic. Then again, my avatar is a hand-cut, so I guess that I'm not such a fanatic after all.

[rgpete]

A strip before hand cut

[rgpete]

Originally Posted by Sean

+1

I agree

[Brian Van Horn]

.

[Section103]

Originally Posted by rgpete

A strip before hand cut

Beautiful

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by ATL

I love hand cuts, particularly 1911 Baseball Bats. Here is a nice 1 of 1...

Thanks for sharing the Baseball Bats Ty Cobb card...I have seen various Baseball Bats cards over the years, but never this one of Ty before.

Brian

[ZiggerZagger]

While they'll never be my favorite pieces, I have to say that I do really enjoy some of the hand-cut/strip cards in my collection.
It's the 'Kissing your Sister' option, I suppose... So while it's not exactly wrong, don't enjoy it too much.

19021 (591x1024).jpg21021 (596x966).jpgJ_35001.jpg

[Leon]

To answer any question above, graders can't tell "when" a card was cut. If you ask one and they are honest they will say they can't. And if they said they can I would like to hear how? In my view, I don't care if cut strip cards get a numeric grade but they HAVE to say hand cut...Or I would be a little happier if they were all AUT and no numeric grade, but that train has left the station...

Strips are cool and many that are classified as strip cards aren't strip cards at all. Here is a guy who made a boner and is a candy box cut card

[Fred]

Leon,

My thought is that if the TPGs started NOW to only provide an AUTH label for hand cut cards, then all graded ones would simply fall into that category after the practice became an accepted "policy" (of sorts).

Sure, there could have been a hand cut card graded a "9" but after adopting a new policy, then that card would basically become a really nice looking AUTH card. Well, that's my thought on it.

As mentioned before, someone could find a hand cut card with large borders graded "4". The card could be removed from the slab and re-cut, submitted for grading and get an "8". Then that same card could be worth exponentially more. Now how about that Gretzky T206.... didn't that have some very generous borders before it was cut down? Yes, I realize it was part of a strip but you have a lot or latitude at that point.

[Rookiemonster]

The first two pre was cards I owned were max Carey and Alexander Gaston American caramel. They both were cut but I don’t think they were supposed to be that way. But the guy I sold them to said that they might have came from a strip.

[Steve D]

Are these a match?




It's interesting, as Schaeffer never played for the NY Giants, and although he did play for the Highlanders/Yankees, that was only for one year, in 1916.

Steve

[Leon]

Never noticed that. Interesting as that would date it 4 yrs later than we currently attribute to the set. Scratch that, I am not sure what it makes it.

Well, upon further reflection, and as slow as I am, it is probably Schaefer pictured on the J=k ....I will refer back to Steve's dilemma.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Steve D

Are these a match?




It's interesting, as Schaeffer never played for the NY Giants, and although he did play for the Highlanders/Yankees, that was only for one year, in 1916.

Steve

[BabyRuth]

I like the hand cut Ruths, more Bang for the buck!!!

[Aaron Seefeldt]

I like the hand cut cards. There are some real scarce & neat oddball items out there.

[EGreenwood]

I love the Stanage Aaron.

Erik Greenwood

[npa589]

Originally Posted by fred

hand cut cards should only be given an "auth" grade. Let eye appeal of the buyer determine the price. Same with cards that have a coupon removed (zeenuts, for example). Those should be given an auth label if the coupon has been removed.

Someone can still cut the edges of a hand cut card tomorrow so that the card has razor sharp corners. Also, you could pop a hand cut card with huge borders from a slab, recut the card and make it have greater eye appeal and a higher grade.

Tpg companies have no clue....

+7000

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Fred

Leon,

My thought is that if the TPGs started NOW to only provide an AUTH label for hand cut cards, then all graded ones would simply fall into that category after the practice became an accepted "policy" (of sorts).

Sure, there could have been a hand cut card graded a "9" but after adopting a new policy, then that card would basically become a really nice looking AUTH card. Well, that's my thought on it.

As mentioned before, someone could find a hand cut card with large borders graded "4". The card could be removed from the slab and re-cut, submitted for grading and get an "8". Then that same card could be worth exponentially more. Now how about that Gretzky T206.... didn't that have some very generous borders before it was cut down? Yes, I realize it was part of a strip but you have a lot or latitude at that point.

I always wonder about people paying a high price for a HIGH GRADE hand cut card due to its grade. To me it seems kind of stupid.

.