Anyone collect relic cards anymore?
 

I use to collect game used relics cards back in the day. I was wondering, does anyone collect relic cards anymore? What are your thoughts on them? Especially now that most are not really “game used”. I think they still look cool!

I have 7-800 or so; mostly from the early 2000’s. They were a big hit then, it’s fun to pick up the relics from the sets I liked as a kid now that they’re almost worthless. I pull a few every year from my Heritage boxes, but that’s about it I have after 2007 or so.

I recently been looking at autos with game used on same card...

I still think the original run of the Upper Deck piece of history 500 home run club cards are cool.

I've always liked, and collect, the 2002 and 2003 Topps 206 and 205 relic and auto cards. Sort of a merging of the past and future, with the obvious connection to the pre-war era.

I'm not a proponent for cutting/chopping up game used/worn jerseys and bats of older, especially pre-war players, at all. But that horse left the barn decades ago, so there is nothing I or anyone else can really do about it.

Not so concerned about the card companies doing the same with the more modern players. Nowadays the players all seem to have brand new uniforms they wear for virtually every game, and bats can be delivered by the truckload. Back in the pre-war days, I believe the players usually got just one home and one away uniform for the entire season, and they were more likely to find one bat they liked, and hold onto and use it for as long as they could.

I have started collecting a series and have several so far, but still just getting started really. Most are fairly cheap and just fun.

One peave I have when looking at jersey relics is when the swatch doesn't match the jersey on the card.

I also prefer early 2000s for relic cards. They were more likely to clearly state on the card that it was from that player and used in an actual game - unlike the vague verbiage now used on the ultra-modern relic cards.

A lot of the NBA cards don’t even carry the “game used” description. They’re pieces of anything.

It’s fun to compare how the disclaimers have changed over time. Many of the old ones were very explicitly promising an item, used by that specific player in an MLB game. Now they often promise absolutely nothing.

I loathe the generic ones like the Heritage inserts. "Here's an image of Mike Trout with a piece of whatever"; yeah, literally thanks for nothing. I do pick up the occasional older relic card if it has an actual GU item from the correct player I collect, just for giggles.

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...er%20Aaron.jpg

Even better if it is signed and GU:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...e/Halladay.jpg

2001 vs. 2021, just as an example. Not the same product line, but they're all like this. All the manufacturers have changed like this, with generally specific promises when relics were starting vs. now where they promise... absolutely nothing. It could be from a kids size jersey they bought at Wal-Mart.

The old ones are worth about the same as the current ones. I thought they were cool when I discovered them in 2001 Pacific Private Stock as a kid. Less cool now, kind of weird to buy a bit of another dudes shirt. I buy a lot of cards that I couldn't afford then but liked.

I treat them like another insert mostly. I like to add cheap Dodgers or interesting looking designs, but the shine of the GU piece has worn off for me, especially considering the previous post and how the manufacturers have basically made it appear these pieces of fabric and wood are not from anything but busted up furniture and goodwill hand me downs.

It is neat to find some of the more obscure players, especially old timers, but thinking those items are authentic and linked to the player is the only draw for me.

If anyone is interested, I'm selling my collection of (120) 2008-2011 Allen & Ginter Relics Bat, Jersey & Autograph Cards.

Thank you,

Mike

Mike, any Cubs? Let me know.

I do like some of the one's that state clearly that it is game used, however as noted most of these are just something they ordered new off Fanatics and cut up now.

I see no interesting value to manufactured patches, or random junk in there. I would rather have a nice picture. I loathe the rookie materials cards more than most when they say "event-worn". If you have ever had an opportunity to see these "rookie-premier" events you will see newly drafted rookies standing next to giant boxes of hundreds of jerseys. They put them on for literally no more than 3-4 seconds and then toss then in a pile. Those are then your event used rookie cards. Wheeeeee...

I also find sticker autos unwanted and the sale prices show the premium for on-card. I want a card that the player touched and signed, not something with a sticker.

If I can find a game-used item with a on-card signature...that hits the cool mark and I sometimes add them. I also look for RCs that are on-card signed of players I get interested in. I don't care a bit if it might not be the Bowman Chrome or Panini Prism and is a less "premium" line. I think time, will lean to the on-card in the future as the top card.

I'm not really a fan, especially if it's older actual game used stuff cut up.

If it's very modern, I don't really care. Like has been mentioned they use stuff that's barely worn at all if it even is.

I do like the retail only cards with the manufactured stuff like patches and medallions. It may be junk, but at least it's honest junk.
I like pretty much all the retail only stuff, I think it will have a somewhat lower survival rate, and be a bit tougher to find without case breakers (or without as many) Of course, I'll be wrong, just like I've been about so many other things.

If Frank Howard or a Senator are depicted on them, then I would and do pick them up as long as I can afford them. Some I can buy, some I can look at for free and wish I could buy.


B.T.

I have a few Willie Mays 'relics' somewhere. IIRC, they are uniform swatches from his time with my Mets. Guess I'm heading into the dusty closet to search for them...


Edited to add: they weren't as deeply buried as I thought...

Attachment 529391

I really like the Finest Mays. Willie in a Mets uniform still looks odd and appealing at the same time to me.

I used to collect Topps Heritage Master Sets, everything except the autos, and had over 100 of the "game-used" relics. I have since sold almost all of them, except for a few of the tougher ones. I'll try to dig them out and get some pictures/scans.

I like the older game used versions that contain game used materials from legends such as Aaron, etc. I also enjoy ones that contain errors such as this Pujols game used jersey card that contains a bat.

i a sucker for the dual autos on the card because it at least proves when the card was signed. Rather have a Jeter signed card for sure in 2000 or whatever than someone getting a year 2000 card signed today but 'game worn' relic with the card is cool

They screwed up several of the cards in 2006 Bowman Heritage. I have an Andruw Jones and a couple others the same way as the Pujols. Really lends a lot of trust to believing the Jersey and bat swatches are actually from the right players items.

Topps just released its 2022 Chrome product. One of the inserts is a relic card BUT this time around Topps includes a hologram that links to a Topps database that allows you to see the actual game the relic came from.

Huge improvement.

I collect Mark Teixeira game used cards and GU/Auto cards. I started picking them up years ago when I followed him but only grab them now and then these days. Plus, most of them are quite affordable so I check for them on eBay when other things are slow.



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My Favorite…

Love the older ones from the late 90s/early 2000s. They've become so incredibly redundant and abundant that they're rarely anything more than an insert that makes me groan and sigh at the same time.

I have a shoebox full of game used cards that I pulled from packs most of them are early 2000's.

Most of the Upper Deck cards say that they came from an item used by the player in an official major league game.

Some of the game used cards have photo's on the card of the game used item.

https://photos.imageevent.com/patric...ale/img079.jpg

[IMG]https://photos.imageevent.com/patric...ale/img080.jpg[/IMG]

Some of them like this Clemens World Series base (looks more like it could be a piece of the pitching rubber to me) say what game or series the game used was from.

[IMG]https://photos.imageevent.com/patric...e/img081_1.jpg[/IMG]


This is one of my favorites a duel Yogi Berra and Cal Ripken Jr.

[IMG]https://photos.imageevent.com/patric...ale/img091.jpg[/IMG]

I still purchase relic cards of players I collect, been picking up some here and there lately.
Mostly I have been getting the ones I had graded with SGC as I like how they present in the holders.

This set is just about the best relic set ever created over many years. Top tier of all relic sets.

T206 is a close second.

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I agree with packs on this one, although I do have Bat Kings autographed by Hank with a huge piece of bat and numbered to 50.

I only have one from the 500 home run club, but I think it is the rarest of all. I have the Eddie Murray card. I drew this card myself from a box of UD Collector's Choice. For those of you that remember, Collector's Choice was the cheap, poor man's card and was mass produced in the millions. I don't know if UD inserted the home run club cards randomly or what, but I do know mine came from a box of Collector's Choice. I threw the card in my glove box where it resided for a year or so. One day I found it and sent it to Beckett. It came back an 8 or 8.5 or something like that. I was happy. I still have the card today in my permanent collection.

After making my previous post I had to go dig out my Aaron game used and post a picture - what's a post without a picture right?

Here it is, hope you like it. This is what I think a game used card should be.

Oh, I also really like this Kirby Puckett card.

I used to have a lot of relics from the early 2000s. Sold most, but still have a few.

One of my favorites.

It's really hit or miss for me. The only modern player I collect is David Ortiz so I'll pick up some of his cards here and there but it all really depends on the design of the card. Some relic cards just look really dull and bland with zero effort into the design.

I picked up this 2004 glove relic because it seemed appropriate for Ozzie.