[djohn]

I remember getting some Collector's Edge numbered cards that were damaged in the pack replaced by them back in the day. (The replacements were hand numbered, though, rather than machine numbered.)

Sucks that they didn't destroy the extras after a while, though.

The companies usually just kept the card unnumbered and the either hand numbered or machine stamped them to match the serial number on the card that was returned. Unfortunately bankruptcies kept several companies from destroying these extra cards (as they were probably slated to be destroyed later the same year as the bankruptcies happened). This is one major reason that people are leery of buying Fleer cards that aren't serial numbered when they are supposed to be serial numbered (as that bankruptcy sale was very public compared to how Pinnacle and CE went down).