I have said before that if there is something that will make money out there, someone will find a way to exploit it. The good thing is that more and more people are coming to understand the adage “trust no one” when buying cards, if not only to save yourself some money by doing a quick bit of research. That doesnt mean all will be fine and dandy though, as some cards are unique enough that its tough to compare against others.
This CJ Spiller autograph is an example of one of these cards that I feel are becoming more and more prevalent. Because companies like Upper Deck, Press Pass and Panini have started using inscriptions as a way to bolster value
, even in the many scrub autos present in their sets, whoever pulled this card originally thought it would be a great idea to add something extra to his card. Inscriptions can mean hundreds of extra dollars in value, especially if they are favorable in type
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A CJ Spiller collector on FCB thought this card looked fishy when compared to some of the others out there with a similar inscription, especially the fact that his and this one’s look nothing alike, especially on the “G” in lightning and the “28” that Spiller signs with this inscription.
Even funnier, this oversized ass hat obviously needed to check his spelling before marking up his card, as it looks like he originally signed “Lightnig 28” instead of the correct “Lightning 28.” What an idiot. Then, to make matters worse, he actually tried to squeeze the second “N” in there! It looks ridiculous and adds more evidence to the pile that this “Rare” inscription didnt actually come that way.
Guys, basically, when it comes down to it, there is nothing that many wont do to make money, including the destruction of a one of a kind collectible. I would say that there must be some limit to the douchebaggery that plagues this hobby, but we all know that there is not. If you arent the one watching your own ass, there isnt anyone out there who will do it for you. When you consider that it only takes a google search or a click on the seller’s completed listing to minimally investigate a purchase, there is no reason not to do it.
On top of that, I am always willing to help and can usually get back to you within a few hours. If more immediate help is needed, the many message boards including FCB (where this card was quesitoned) can usually provide you with great feedback in minutes.
The part in the description where the seller admits that they have no idea if the insctiption is actually from the player or added afterwards is classy! I guess it’s all good if you just kinda admit the possiblity of forgery, or kinda imply that you don’t even know if it’s forgery if you kinda say it might not have been from the player. Sweet!
Noooooooooo, not my Bills. Not that Spiller has really done much on the field, but I hat to see a Bills fake or any fakes for that matter. The bottom line is that collectors need to know what their bidding on before they actually bid. There is no reason for a collector to get fooled on “Inscription” cards. Most companies indicate that the card is an inscription card by printing “Inscription”, “Shout Out” or “Personal Touch” right on the card. Either way, it’s certainly nice to have a blogger such as your self keepin’ collectors informed. Thanks
Thanks for the great info. There are lots of dumb crooks out there. Unfortunately, there are some smarter crooks who continue to get away with cheating collectors. Because of these bad experiences, these collectors often reduce their buying habits or even drop out of the hobby. This results in decreased collector demand, lower singles sales prices, reduced unopen box prices, and ultimately card manufacturers loosing money.
In the nineties, I saw these crooks work the card shows. Today, the internet has made it too easy for these crooks to operate without consequences.
Until these crooks find some consequence to their crimes, they will continue. Card manufacturers are best suited to police the products they produce. Card manufacturers must sooner or later wake up to the fact that doing nothing will hurt their business.
Thanks for the warning Gellman. I need to start watching out for these.
Haha yeah…
“ARE THEY FROM THE PLAYER OR ADDED LATER… WHO KNOWS .. LOOKS LIKE THE SAME INK BUT WHEN BUYING INSCRIPTIONS WE CAN NEVER SAY 100% FOR SURE IT WAS NOT ADDED ON THE AFTERMARKET?”
Did I fake it or didn’t I?? It’s all part of the fake inscription game!