Upper Deck to combat patch swapping in cards

[Philip J. Fry]

Not baseball related, but it’s a decent step in combating aftermarket patch swapping in cards. Maybe Topps should be doing something similar?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6385327/2025/05/28/upper-deck-the-cup-patch-swapping/

 

[KLARNOLD]

Why can't they stitch the patch to the card and seal the stitch on back and if one attempts to remove the seal the back of card gets ruined like a RIP card?

 

[Philip J. Fry]

Why can't they stitch the patch to the card and seal the stitch on back and if one attempts to remove the seal the back of card gets ruined like a RIP card?

Those are called eBay 1/1s

 

[swish54_99]

This should've happened 15 years ago. I do think it's something that will be well accepted within the hobby and will catch on to other sets/manufacturers.

 

[jmc855]

This is great and has the added benefit of rendering TPGing of the patch useless because once they break the OEM slab, authenticity is in question. To me, big win to reduce impact, reach and influence of graders.

 

[nosterbor]

They should do like the banks. Put little die packs under the patch.

 

[Pinbreaker]

Are they going to go back and retroactively look at Patch cards and say if it's authentic or not?

Here's an example that putting the 2009 UD Ultimate Patch Card Set together I found.

I snagged these on Worthpoint when I had my subscription.

 

[mrmopar]

Are they going to go back and retroactively look at Patch cards and say if it's authentic or not?

Here's an example that putting the 2009 UD Ultimate Patch Card Set together I found.

I snagged these on Worthpoint when I had my subscription.

This is quite unfortunate that rare items had to be ruined to squeeze a few more dollars out of consumers by dirtbag crooks and I would guess evidence like this could be harder and harder to find as years pass. Some patch cards will never be trusted, even if you were the one who pulled it from a pack, prove that 20 years down the road.

 

[Super Mario]

I’ve always questioned the validity of game used memorabilia in sports cards.

 

[mrmopar]

I’ve always questioned the validity of game used memorabilia in sports cards.

Yes, I would not be surprised if most is fake. Maybe not even MLB quality fabrics and bats in some of them, but game used is almost impossible to prove.

 

[Super Mario]

Yes, I would not be surprised if most is fake. Maybe not even MLB quality fabrics and bats in some of them, but game used is almost impossible to prove.

If they’re not willing to put something on the card stating exactly when and where the memorabilia was used, then I most definitely do not trust its authenticity, and even then I question it.

Never really understood the fascination with memorabilia cards in the first place, because of the questionable authenticity, and have always preferred autographed cards over them, even though there have been instances where someone else has signed the cards instead of the person who was supposed to.

For this being a billion dollar industry, there are some very questionable aspects of it concerning the products authenticity.

Prices are too high, and post-covid, it’s just not fun anymore, in my opinion. No shop I’ve been to even sells loose packs since Covid, just overpriced boxes nobody can afford unless you’re wealthy.

 

[mrmopar]

If they’re not willing to put something on the card stating exactly when and where the memorabilia was used, then I most definitely do not trust its authenticity, and even then I question it.

Never really understood the fascination with memorabilia cards in the first place, because of the questionable authenticity, and have always preferred autographed cards over them, even though there have been instances where someone else has signed the cards instead of the person who was supposed to.

For this being a billion dollar industry, there are some very questionable aspects of it concerning the products authenticity.

Prices are too high, and post-covid, it’s just not fun anymore, in my opinion. No shop I’ve been to even sells loose packs since Covid, just overpriced boxes nobody can afford unless you’re wealthy.

I have noticed a huge shift since Covid as well. Part of it could be the exposure on social media has gotten much deeper, but I think the big reason is that a ton of people who either dabbled before or had never collected all of the sudden flooded the market. Some good, but lots of bad. So many people are clueless and their spending habits have changed the market for the worse (unless you are selling now) and many clearly driven only by what is hot and flippable. It's especially ridiculous on a WNBA Facebook group I joined. Caitlin Clark dominates the posts and the money people are spending is just mind boggling to me.

Maybe if this new surge sustains the interest longer and more people come to appreciate more of the stuff that is not easily found anymore, but also not prices crazy high either, then it's a good thing. Someone is going to need to buy my stuff when I do start that process and I am not going to have Wemby, Mahones, Clark, Ohtani and the likes.

I feel ready to quit, but I still love the chase for bargains and adding stacks of new bargain autographs (and an occasional big timer) is a big rush, even if they are nobodies.

 

[Super Mario]

I have noticed a huge shift since Covid as well. Part of it could be the exposure on social media has gotten much deeper, but I think the big reason is that a ton of people who either dabbled before or had never collected all of the sudden flooded the market. Some good, but lots of bad. So many people are clueless and their spending habits have changed the market for the worse (unless you are selling now) and many clearly driven only by what is hot and flippable. It's especially ridiculous on a WNBA Facebook group I joined. Caitlin Clark dominates the posts and the money people are spending is just mind boggling to me.

Maybe if this new surge sustains the interest longer and more people come to appreciate more of the stuff that is not easily found anymore, but also not prices crazy high either, then it's a good thing. Someone is going to need to buy my stuff when I do start that process and I am not going to have Wemby, Mahones, Clark, Ohtani and the likes.

I feel ready to quit, but I still love the chase for bargains and adding stacks of new bargain autographs (and an occasional big timer) is a big rush, even if they are nobodies.

Used to be able to go to WalMart and grab a blaster for $20. Now they’re like $35 or more.

No thanks. The card manufacturers have pretty much priced me out. Blasters have basically always been trash anyway and just a way to sample the product cheaply, and now they’re not cheap at all, and nobody just sells loose packs to do it that way either.