Way to fix patch faking...

[Kevbo]

I wouldn't like the plastic either. without being able to feel the patch, it'd have less appeal to me.

Scanning could take a while, but video wouldn't. Take the Ultimate jumbo patches from this year. Mostly numbered to 35. Take the stack, video a guy showing each card for like 3 seconds... 1/35....2/35.... Less than 2 minutes right?

You know how many hits those videos would have? I'd spend a good portion of my evenings on it.

 

[ajw]

I wouldn't like the plastic either. without being able to feel the patch, it'd have less appeal to me.

Scanning could take a while, but video wouldn't. Take the Ultimate jumbo patches from this year. Mostly numbered to 35. Take the stack, video a guy showing each card for like 3 seconds... 1/35....2/35.... Less than 2 minutes right?

You know how many hits those videos would have? I'd spend a good portion of my evenings on it.

That's the answer. What a great way to get publicity.

 

[Kevbo]

Indeed!
I'd watch the videos, and be on their website viewing whatever other advertisements there are too.
Throw some videos or articles of upcoming releases, show some boxbreaks... I wouldn't even need a TV anymore.

Speaking of TV.. how come Topps (or whoever else) don't advertise on TV? You know how many people I talk to that watch sports but don't collect cards have never seen a patch card?
They don't even know about autographs and gold refractor rookies!

Couldn't Harold Reynold's say something about Tim Lincecum when he strikes out 15 batters and just toss in "hey - how much is that guys bowman chrome autograph now?" (show the card, discuss)
When they were talking about Prince Fielder getting hit by a pitch for his celebration against the Giants - couldn't they have whipped out his Topps #1 card and discuss that too?

Ah, maybe that's a bad idea. I don't want to see "MLB Tonight sponsored by Topps" That could get out of hand. Either way, I'm surprised there isn't more of an advertising campaign on espn or mlb tv.

 

[pitt23]

I like the idea of a database. Descriptions and what patches were used would save us the whole "Fake or not" questions.

Actually adding a scan to the assembly line wouldn't cost THAT much money. In the oil industry we use sand control screens to hold back the sands underground so the oil will flow without flowing sand (just go with me for a minute). The screens are checked using high speed scanning cameras. Basically a set of four cameras take pictures as the screen goes through the final welding process.

The pictures are then linked together to get a 360 degree view of the screen as it comes out of the manufacturing process to make sure there are no defects over thousands of feet of screen.

The cameras can scan hundreds of feet per hour. You don't need cameras that are that advanced (ie expensive). You don't even need four cameras. Just one. Heck if the patches are put into the cards before cutting just snap a picture before the sheet is cut.

 

[brouthercard]

A small pic of the patch used on the reverse side would be nice...

This might actually be more expensive for the card companies to do since it would force them to create a new set of printing plates for every patch variation of the card. Instead of having two sets of plates (one for the front of the card and one for the back) they would have to have hundreds or thousands of plates to accomodate all of the different patch pictures for the back of the cards. The 3000 clob memorabilia cards were much easier in that they could use the same plates for all of a certain players' cards in the set.

Somebody was showing off a... I know, I know... a Bikini card. It was a model on the card and included a piece of used bikini. Anybody remember that? On the back of the card they had a picture of the bikini used, and each card had a square in a different place on the picture to show where the swatch used in that card came from. So if the bikini piece on the front has a Nike Swoosh, there is a square on the picture on the back around the Nike Swoosh. I hope that made sense. :lol: I'm not sure how this low budget bikini card company was able to pull it off, but it can be done...

What!? Card companies are pulling off bikinis? I've got to see this..... :lol:

 

[VizquelCollector.com]

No offense, but I HATE the idea of covering over a patch with plastic.

I think cards could incorporate a design whereby any removal of the patch damages the card beyond repair. Somewhat like a tamper-proof seal. Perhaps the layer of the card that the patch is attached to is relatively thin, close to the very back of the card. Hence, even if someone uses tweezers or other tool to carefully pull out the patch, the back layer of the card is torn/wrinkled, or otherwise damaged.

 

[smapdi]

Yeah, patches definitely have a tactile attraction. I doubt that approach would work anyway. Someone will figure out a way to cut through it or cut it off and replace it. My idea was to use superglue to attach the patches so you'd have to pretty much destroy the card to pull the patch off, but that might not be good longterm.

I like the idea of video, though. UD themselves tout 22,000 box breaks of their product on youtube. Once a premium patch set is assembled, say any jumbos or cards #/50 or less, lay them out on a table and move the camera over them. Of course, it may be logistically problematic, you have to have them all assembled, the numbering would have to be completed and visible, etc. Plus, you'd have to have someone use a camera and be able to post it on Youtube. I suspect their production methods wouldn't be so coordinated, being all outsourced (I suspect).

 

[VizquelCollector.com]

This would likely get some people pissed off in a big way, but hear me out....

If there was a video circulating on youtube or elsewhere clearly demonstrating how easy it is to fake a patch card, it might attract some attention and ultimately result in positive changes. I realize some problems this would create. On the other hand, it may highlight how obvious the flaws are for the card manufacturers and nudge them to do something to combat it.

 

[Fandruw25]

This would likely get some people pissed off in a big way, but hear me out....

If there was a video circulating on youtube or elsewhere clearly demonstrating how easy it is to fake a patch card, it might attract some attention and ultimately result in positive changes. I realize some problems this would create. On the other hand, it may highlight how obvious the flaws are for the card manufacturers and nudge them to do something to combat it.

Someone posted on here once with pictures showing how easy it was to fake a patch. I think it was a blue jays patch into a prime patch card. I don't think the company's care enough about fake patches to do anything.


Also, I think covering up the patch is a pretty bad idea. When I was a kid one of the cool things about game used cards was feeling the material.