[slufan83]

Why does Topps now just call everything a game-used relic? There is so much grey area by using that term and it is very frustrating. For instance, I have a 2011 Gypsy Queen Relic of Yadier Molina and the swatch is red. For starters, the Cardinals don't have any red jerseys for home or away. Their warm-up jerseys are red, but if that's the case would you really consider that game used?? Why is it sooo difficult for them to just state what the actual object is? I used to LOVE how Donruss back in the day would usually put a photo of the jersey on the back of the card and in most cases also give the date that it was used. Does Topps have such a big head now that they can just slap on any piece of memorabilia and not think twice that the consumer would actually like to know what is in their card that they just pulled/purchased? I'm sure that has been discussed before, but my word is it annoying!

[011873]

I'm assuming its a legal issue which covers their backside.

But.......it also could be a, um, "easy" way to use vintage dugout seats on cards, not label them as such eventhough they look like bat pieces.

[muz0]

It was used in the game of baseball.....................thats all i can say in the defense of that. Otherwise i am with you, these are not my cup of earl grey.

[TheEvilEmpire]

Leaf/Playoff and Donruss was the best about actually stating when the game-piece was used and showed a picture of it....

[dbauer2]

Molina was a group C pull (the toughest) on the GQ relics. Yadier Molina+warmup jersey doesn't add up to the toughest grouping in my opinion. If anything, that scenario would infer the easiest odds. Maybe Topps is just stupid and made a warm up jersey a tough pull, it's possible.

Could it be from the 2009 All Star Weekend? The BP/workout jerseys were Red for the NL that year. Still wouldn't technically be "game used," but definitely much cooler than a random Cardinals Warmup Jersey.

[jmc316]

I'm of the wish that GU reg unis would go away and only prime patches would be used...I loved the 2005 leaf limited set because you would get great pieces of unis with 3,4, 5 colors at times but without a crazy premium price or a miniscule serial #...at least then you know the piece of uni is an actual uni from that team whether GU or from that player

[chrisolds]

Answer: Time and money. More time taken individualizing card notations = more cost and delays in getting them out.

[toddaray]

Game used cards have flooded and hurt the hobby in a few ways. I really just want them to stop making them all together. If, we say tomorrow you pull a babe ruth bat card out of Topps. How can anyone think it is actually a bat babe ruth used and not some bat lying around in the dugout or piece of stadium seat or sliver of telephone pole from yankee stadium parking lot. People think that just because a player is on a card with some swatch that said swatch, be it bat, jsy, patch what ever, was used by the player on the card. Id be willing to bet that is not the case. I am pretty positive that most "game used" cards high end and common alike, have a swatch in them that has never even been in the same room with ANY pro ball player leave alone the one actually depicted on the card. Sooner or later there is bound to be some scandalous news on this very subject, then we can all watch the air fly out of the topps balloon.

What am I talking about we will all still buy their stuff, lol

[slufan83]

I understand the time/money issues....but honestly, it ruins the history of the item used in the cards if the history can't be shared/documented. The whole purpose of game used memorabilia cards in the first place was so that the average joe collector could have a piece of the history from the game without having to track down and the let alone purchase expensive and or rare game used items. Now it's just turned into a big circus and it's hard telling what is even being put into cards.

Even Upper Deck in many of their products state that this item was used in a rookie photo shoot, or this item was game worn. That is still a little vague, but they are at least usually specific about what exact piece of memorabilia is being used...i.e., hat, shoe, jersey, etc. I'd even much rather have that than just game-worn memorabilia. My rant may have a dead end, but in the end we're the ones paying for this stuff.

[shezdoni]

Leaf/Playoff and Donruss was the best about actually stating when the game-piece was used and showed a picture of it....

Just because Donruss/Leaf put a picture and date on the card when the supposed item was used in a game, Does Not mean that the piece on the card is from that actual item.

Seriously, we are talking about hundreds of current players, and the hundreds of retired players with thousands of full size so called "game used " items, which equal to thousands upon thousands, upon thousands of " swatches" from those game used items

a typical Game Jersey gives out 1800 to 2200 card sized swatches to use on cards, Patches any place from 200 to 300, and game used bats 800 to 1000, gloves 200 to 300, etc.....