Does anyone actually have any interest in something like this?

[barrysloate]

Sorry Adam, I can't put my arms around the idea that it is better for more people to own small pieces of a bat. Would it be okay to cut the Mona Lisa into a thousand little pieces so that a thousand rich collectors can lay claim to a piece of it? Okay, the Mona Lisa is unique, but I still hate the idea of destroying something so more people can own it. It doesn't work for me.

[Anthony S.]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Would it be okay to cut the Mona Lisa into a thousand little pieces so that a thousand rich collectors can lay claim to a piece of it?

If it would tick off the French I might be able to get behind it.

[Orioles1954]

By the way, I am the guy who authored the description for the card Mr. Lichtman is mentioning. I think a FAR greater problem is the authenticity of these items. A game-used bat can yield up to 2,000 slivers, the majority of which are spread over several issues over many years. What kind of checks do the companies have to make sure these items don't get mixed up? Are the bats/jerseys authenticated by MEARS or PSA/DNA or someone else before being "packed out"? Upper Deck screwed up numerous instances of cut autographs, why not game-used inserts? Food for thought.

[Orioles1954]

Case in point: 2009 Topps Tribute had "game-used" bat pieces of Ruth, Gehrigs, Jackie Robinson and others. It was discovered they were actually pieces of seats or benches from various stadiums. They only fixed the problem when called out on it. Donruss had the best system of verifying game-used items by putting pictures of the items on their cards....then they went out of business.

James

[ctownboy]

orioles1954,

So a LOT OF GOOD it did them to spend the money on these artifacts, destroy them and then sell the slivers on cards to the collecting public....

David

[Orioles1954]

The issue is mostly moot anyway. Far fewer of these bats are being cut up due to manufacturer attrition, and that most modern collectors are favoring multi-colored game-used patches.

P.S: I remember in the 1980s The Smithsonian Museum of American History were selling certified pieces from one of Amelia Earhart's airplanes in their gift shop. If you seriously have a beef with card companies doing this to pre-war baseball items, why not contact the licensing division of MLB?

[quinnsryche]

Why can't people collect what they want without others judging what they believe to be the "right way" to collect? If someone wants to buy a Ty Cobb game used bat and enjoy it, ok. If someone wants to buy a card with a piece of game used Ty Cobb bat , ok. I think someone who collects cards that are missing 30-40% of the card is a bit strange, but have at it. I like graded cards, so shoot me. Should we build a time machine a go back and flog the kid who trimmed their Eddie Plank card, glued their Magie in an album or put their Wagner in the spokes of their bike? I know a guy who wallpapered his bathroom with cards and laughs every time he see the 52 Mantle, 53 Mays, 54 Banks etc. up on the wall. Let's lighten up here, it's only baseball cards! To compare the destruction of the Mona Lisa, Dead Sea Scrolls or Wailing Wall to the bat of a baseball player is absolutely ludicrous.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I think Lichtman really wants the card and is just trashing it in the hope of discouraging people from bidding on it -- a favorite tactic of his old friend Mr. Lewis.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

P.S: I remember in the 1980s The Smithsonian Museum of American History were selling certified pieces from one of Amelia Earhart's airplanes in their gift shop. If you seriously have a beef with card companies doing this to pre-war baseball items, why not contact the licensing division of MLB?

At least it wasn't Roberto Clemente's plane.