2000 Upper Deck Ovation Signatures

[zlpeterson]

Any experts out there on these parallels? The card was only available for Griffey and Piazza and came in three parallels, /100, /50 and /10.

My confusion is the statement at Baseballcardpedia.com that all three of the parellels are hand numbered. This seems to be true with the Piazza. With the Griffey there are cards that are not serial numbered at all, /100 that are printed with serial numbers and then /50 and /10 in hand writing.

Why does there seem to be three theories for the /100 Griffey? Non-serial numbered, hand serial numered (which I've never seen, but per baseballcardpedia is the only version) and printed serial numbered. This would also beg, is there any guarantee that there are only /100 for the base parallel?

No Serial Number


Printed Serial Number /100


Hand Written /50, /10
(I can't help but notice that this sign looks faked, btw. The "G" and the "Jr" look off)

 

[magicpapa]

I can't recall ever seeing a hand numbered /100
As for the non numbered, more than likely a backdoor replacement card
here my 2
don't own a /10

 

[zlpeterson]

Spoke to someone with some awesome insight into the Griffey from this run, Upper Deck REALLY bumbled this release up. I don't want to use his full name, but Chris, if you're on this forum THANK YOU for the information.

I don't know who the forum people are with access to edit baseballcardpedia.com but perhaps they can update with this info....

Upper Deck's original plan was to have x100 of the entire parallel series produced, so they made x100, all without any printed serial number. They selected the 10 "best" and made the Rainbow /10, selected the next 50 "best" and made the Gold /50 and then realized that only left them with 40 cards for the silver (which should have been the highest print run).

The F**k moment set in and Upper Deck realized a change was needed. The silver couldn't have a shorter print run than the gold and rainbow.

Griffey had not signed anything yet, only the cards had been run. So the original intent was to hand number every serial number, however Upper Deck produce 100 more quickly to add to the silver run and this additional run was printed serial numbers 1-100 and the decision was made to keep the original 40 ran (without serial) numbers in the silver set as well.

Everyone keeping up? lol Upper Deck THEN decided it still wasn't right to have less non-serial numbered silvers than the gold and rainbow so Upper Deck made ANOTHER 150 silver without serial numbers.

This means for the Griffey, with an original intent to run 160 cards (100 silver, 50 gold and 10 rainbow) Upper Deck managed to bumble their way to running 350 cards for Griffey in the Ovation set!!

x290 Silvers (x100 printed serial numbers and x190 non-serial numbered)
x50 golds all hand serial numbered
x10 rainbows all hand serial numbered

Quite the story and thanks again so much to Chris for this clarification and connections to Upper Deck.

 

[magicpapa]

Hmmmmmmmm......