Player collectors... do you count show-stamped cards?

Do you count show-stamped cards in your collection totals? I know Beckett lists some, but not all, show stamped cards in player checklists. I have Pacific embossed stamp cards from the days Pacific would set up at major shows and stamp one card from a Pacific pack busted at their booth. I also have National stamped cards from Donruss, and Chicago Collection stamped cards. But I don't include these in any of my collection stats.

To me, they are aftermarket cards, and shouldn't be on the checklist. Beckett draws the line at cards stamped to a specific number at a show (National, Chicago, Hawaii Trade). Do you consider these legitimate releases to a player's checklist? Do you try for them? Or are they just curiosities you pick up if the price is right? What's your opinion on these types of cards?

Wouldn't these fall under the same category as auto buybacks?

gracecollector said:

Do you count show-stamped cards in your collection totals? I know Beckett lists some, but not all, show stamped cards in player checklists. I have Pacific embossed stamp cards from the days Pacific would set up at major shows and stamp one card from a Pacific pack busted at their booth. I also have National stamped cards from Donruss, and Chicago Collection stamped cards. But I don't include these in any of my collection stats.

To me, they are aftermarket cards, and shouldn't be on the checklist. Beckett draws the line at cards stamped to a specific number at a show (National, Chicago, Hawaii Trade). Do you consider these legitimate releases to a player's checklist? Do you try for them? Or are they just curiosities you pick up if the price is right? What's your opinion on these types of cards?

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I don't consider them part of the checklist, but if I do see one, I usually pick it up.

I consider some of them part of the checklist; Chicago sun and hawaii TC mainly. However, I don't consider the pacific embossed show cards part though I do try and pick them when I can.

Yup, I consider them. I've got a couple Reynolds ones and have picked up a few Sweeney ones. If it's on the checklist, I count it.

chashawk said:

Wouldn't these fall under the same category as auto buybacks?

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To me, no. If a card is issued in a pack, then it becomes a legitimate addition to the checklist. But this is just my opinion.

I agree with this, technically these are aftermarket - no?

gracecollector said:

chashawk said:

Wouldn't these fall under the same category as auto buybacks?

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To me, no. If a card is issued in a pack, then it becomes a legitimate addition to the checklist. But this is just my opinion.

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I've got six Pacific cards embossed from various shows. I do count them as unique and part of my overall total 'different' cards. If any more showed up for the right price, I'd pick them up, but as far as being part of the overall completion percentage I don't count them. Beckett doesn't recognize them, but that's not big news - there are lots of cards we player collectors have that aren't recognized.

Kind of a gray area, as the card is technically distributed by the original manufacturer, not a third party. So in a sense this is original distribution. But to me, show-stamped cards are alterations to originals without mass distribution. It's this lack of mass distribution that bothers me I guess.

uniquebaseballcards said:

I agree with this, technically these are aftermarket - no?

gracecollector said:

chashawk said:

Wouldn't these fall under the same category as auto buybacks?

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To me, no. If a card is issued in a pack, then it becomes a legitimate addition to the checklist. But this is just my opinion.

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TNP777 said:

I've got six Pacific cards embossed from various shows. I do count them as unique and part of my overall total 'different' cards. If any more showed up for the right price, I'd pick them up, but as far as being part of the overall completion percentage I don't count them. Beckett doesn't recognize them, but that's not big news - there are lots of cards we player collectors have that aren't recognized.

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I can understand why Beckett doesn't checklist the Pacific embossed cards. Back in the day, you could open any pack of Pacific cards at the booth and choose one for them to emboss, even product from past years. Beckett would basically have to checklist every Pacific card with an embossed parallel, and for every different stamp which Pacific made, which was 50 or more. Quick low-ball estimate would be 50 sets x 50 shows = 2,500 different cards per player. The different combinations in play here make it impossible to add them - plus no way of knowing which cards even exist for which player.

I collect them but do not count them in my totals for beckett recognized cards.
Here is an example of some show stamped cards-

gracecollector said:

TNP777 said:

I've got six Pacific cards embossed from various shows. I do count them as unique and part of my overall total 'different' cards. If any more showed up for the right price, I'd pick them up, but as far as being part of the overall completion percentage I don't count them. Beckett doesn't recognize them, but that's not big news - there are lots of cards we player collectors have that aren't recognized.

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I can understand why Beckett doesn't checklist the Pacific embossed cards. Back in the day, you could open any pack of Pacific cards at the booth and choose one for them to emboss, even product from past years. Beckett would basically have to checklist every Pacific card with an embossed parallel, and for every different stamp which Pacific made, which was 50 or more. Quick low-ball estimate would be 50 sets x 50 shows = 2,500 different cards per player. The different combinations in play here make it impossible to add them - plus no way of knowing which cards even exist for which player.

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Agreed - I would never expect Beckett to recognize Pacific embossed - they are at best a novelty item, interesting only to a player collector, nothing more, nothing less.

After further explaination, I have to agree with the Pacific examples at least.

How do you feel about cards created by the mfgs for shows, like the SportKings
patch cards, etc? Prime gu/auto cards made for a specific show.

Im glad you brought this up. I actually had been thinking of doing the same. While I have tons of show cards, I am very frustrated with the way they are handled. Beckett lists some but not others. I usually buy all my show cards from the same seller. I emailed him to ask if he had ever seen a few of the ones Beckett listed. He said he never had and to his knowledge couldnt come up with how Beckett even knows/lists them. ( meaning there is no master list provided by the companies)


Quite frankly, this is just another reason why I think Beckett as a company, is terrible. With that info, how could they even know what was produced? For example, ive been working hard on 2002 lately and have come across 7 show cards they do not list. ( which I bought ). They do however list cards from the same sets, which I have never seen. ( I bought some "best of Fan Club" cards they dont list. They do list the same parallel's from the plain "fan club" set though. Was this a mistake? False information? Who knows.......

As of now and based on the idea that Beckett is clearly wrong, im dropping these cards from my overall % needed. That said, I will continue to buy them if they show up and count the ones I have in my overall totals.


On a side note, Beckett butchered the 2002 Glaus list. So far, I own 10 cards that are not listed. ( including dual material cards with Bonds and Thome - which are sealed straight from SCD----how can you miss that???)

Now, anyone want to get me going on Sample cards?

Just reworked my % in 2002.

Including the listed show cards needed:

#297/349

With-out the show cards:

#297/333

I count the chicago, Hawaii, and National cards usually #'d to 5. I do not however count the pacific embossed cards. There is no way to tell how many exist of each, if there is a card in existance at all. At least the Chicago, Hawaii, and National cards have print runs to go by.

Here are some cards I have received in the last couple years.

blank back. Also have printing plate for this both front and back, and a blank front with just a back card
says special olympics nevada 1 of 1 also have a 2001 donruss and 2001 fleer platinum 20th anniversary with same logo. They come with a certificate of authenticity and numbers on both the cert and card that match
This has a picture of a kid putting a backpack on a bigger kid and says project backpack 1 of 1
Danbury mint
Not scanned is a 2003 Fleer Hardball Uncut and a 2005 fleer (Red Sox Hood Kid Nation) Jersey card not listed. Was told the jersey card was a freebie to Red Sox Nation Members

AndruwHRJones said:

I count the chicago, Hawaii, and National cards usually #'d to 5. I do not however count the pacific embossed cards. There is no way to tell how many exist of each, if there is a card in existance at all. At least the Chicago, Hawaii, and National cards have print runs to go by.

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Very true on the #/5 cards but with-out a master list, how can you tell they even exist?

I HATE Show Cards!!!

I see them as aftermarket type cards, I also feel the same way about samples. In order to be on a checklist they should have had to been distributed in live products. I do not really go after these types of cards and quite frankly are a pain in the rear end consider they are nothing more than a base card.

EricChavezCollector3 said:

I HATE Show Cards!!!

I see them as aftermarket type cards, I also feel the same way about samples. In order to be on a checklist they should have had to been distributed in live products. I do not really go after these types of cards and quite frankly are a pain in the rear end consider they are nothing more than a base card.

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Agreed 100%

IF Beckett cant keep tract of THEIR OWN sample cards, I own several they dont list, then how can I trust the ones I dont have, even exist??