Custom Cards - What are your thoughts on creating something "new" out of vintage autographs? Enhancement or Destruction?

My heart skipped a beat momentarily when I spotted this while scrolling through a current online auction. I had never seen a signed image of actor Oliver Reed in character from 1961's THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. Looking twice, I realized I still haven't seen one.

It's another new custom card creation. I still don't quite know how I feel about these.

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Permalink Reply by eddy on January 8, 2025 at 4:19pm

Thanks for sharing that perspective, Doug. It's very interesting to me. Especially so since you mentioned upthread that you are coming from a sports memorabilia background. I've never been involved in the sports memorabilia field and these kinds of creations just look so unusual to me.

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Permalink Reply by Doug James on January 8, 2025 at 4:29pm

The ones that are cut “around” the actual signature are particularly unappealing. Where they pair a natural cut married to an appealing photo slabbed by PSA, I can get behind. The Ford and Bush are atrocious.

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Permalink Reply by MikeEarmantraut on January 8, 2025 at 6:21pm

I agree, I've seen some custom Michael Richard's bookplate cards as well with the cutout around the signature and i don't care for those but maybe I'm picky. However if I had to pick I'd choose the window with the signature aside from the cutout around it.

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Permalink Reply by Doug James on January 9, 2025 at 3:51am

I don’t own this but this is the type of cut/photo mat slabbed that I personally like.

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Permalink Reply by MikeEarmantraut on January 9, 2025 at 6:55am

Yes I agree, like the Cranston you showed me, I much prefer the window over the cut out around the auto, I just didn't care for the playbill or the back of the card where they copied the scarface cover. This one is clean looking since it's just a signed paper or page.

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Permalink Reply by eddy on January 9, 2025 at 10:55am

Here's a Jackie Gleason custom card. .... "One of One".

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Permalink Reply by Doug James on January 9, 2025 at 10:59am

I’m sure Eric can vouch if it’s real or not but EVERYTHING is a “1/1” in Sportscards anymore so long as it’s some variation. This crosses over to entertainment.

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Permalink Reply by crazyrabbits23 on January 9, 2025 at 12:49pm

100% - the term "1/1" has been devalued so thoroughly by manufacturers like Topps that it's become a joke at this point. That's part of a larger concern I have with the sportscard market being completely overinflated and unsustainable, but that's a conversation for a different time.

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Permalink Reply by eddy on January 9, 2025 at 1:03pm

In this case, does "One of One" refer to the card design/presentation or the cut autograph itself?

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Permalink Reply by crazyrabbits23 on January 9, 2025 at 1:18pm

In my experience, it's the design that tends to track with the 1/1 designation, not necessarily the signature in and of itself. The challenge comes in when the product gets so devalued that you get 20 1/1's representing "card rainbows", 1/1's tied behind uber-expensive products (guaranteed hits) and the like.

I think I've seen at least three videos where a "1/1" Babe Ruth cut auto was pulled, all in Topps-branded products, that all had 1/1 designations.

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Permalink Reply by eddy on January 9, 2025 at 1:30pm

Here's the JSA letter of authenticity that accompanies this Gleason. The notes are just odd seeming to me. Especially the focus on the size of the custom card, describing it as a limited edition, the Honeymooners reference, etc..

If that signature is removed from the custom card, seems like the LOA is rendered inaccurate, at best.