What would be the worst technological advancement for our hobby?

jrinck

I'm thinking that if someone is ever able to develop paper that stand up to age testing, then we're all doomed, as it would be almost impossible to detect reprints.

Any other thoughts?

carew4me

I think atomic replication ala StarTrek would prove harmful.

Instead of ordering Tomato soup...you would maybe order a few 52 Mantles in PSA 8.

By the time 5 collectors found out they had virtually the same slab, I would safely ensconced in the neutral zone.

mikeschmidt

<< <i>I'm thinking that if someone is ever able to develop paper that stand up to age testing, then we're all doomed, as it would be almost impossible to detect reprints.

Any other thoughts? >>



John: Much "paper" made in the 16th century last better than paper made in the 19th/20th centuries. Paper, in and of itself is not hard to make in ways that it will last. Just expensive.

As technology advances - it is interesting to note - it becomes harder and harder to repliate the "archaic" printing and cutting techniques utilized contemporaneously - especially as equipment becomes dated and no longer fixable.

It's sort of the whole crux with the 1970s O-Pee-Chee sportscards. Modern sheet-cut examples from those sets just don't look right - and you couldn't really replicate the process if you wanted to - because it was just so dang stupid/archaic even at the time, that such machines don't exist anymore!

calleocho

LOL...funny Carew

criminals are usually lazy, to find the energy to find original cardboard, original ink, and to be able to duplicate the original printing and cutting process used by in the 50's would be a massive undertaking, if criminals were to do something like this, they might as well print $100 bills.

A761506

Technology in the form of the modern personal computer has already influenced the hobby. All kinds of things are done using our everyday computers, from enhancing a scan or pic of a card listed on eBay to high quality color printing on the thinnest paper which can then be glued over the face of an original card in such a way that it is extremly difficult to detect.

At this point, the worst advancement for our hobby was not technological, and it has already happened. MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL have granted far too many licenses to companies to print cards, new cards have too many sets and subsets, the market is flooded with this junk, and pack prices have spiraled out of control.

As far as technological advancements though, the worst thing that I could think of is what the Japanese have started doing, inserting micro computer chips into cards that hold voice messages from the player and can store bits of information and sound clips like a hard drive... it's a freakin' sports card and turning them into mini palm pilots is absurd.

MrRookie

a time machine coupled with a talent wand could cause panic for people who dumped their Gregg Jefferies rookies

iamthegreatcornholio

Upper Deck starts cloning dead baseball players, and then making them sign auto's eighteen hours a day.

Aknot

Well (and I am "goofing" with it now) you know those "thick" fillers they put into packs? Next month when I get my Phaser printer (yes it is a real printer nothing from Star Trek) back online, Im making a GU Jersey card of my son for my Wife and I's desks at our offices. I will let you know how it goes.

But reprinting a GU 1/1 or "low" of card does not seem to hard. I think they might be turning up considering the take on the Jordan/Kobe etc. UD cards......

Scumbi

I think that advancement may already be realized. I'm talking about laser cutters that are accurate to 1/32nd of an inch. I don't know too much about them, but card trimming is a big threat to collecting now and into the future.

Also, there will reach a point when the front and back of a card can be separated. Criminals will be able to be able to combine different cards for higher grades. This is scary too.

Last, no matter how technology grows, we'll never have correct population reports to work with. The boat has sailed with re-subs, crossovers and scandals. I believe there will be some kind of concerted effort to correct the population reports, but I can't seem to imagine a system that would work unless there was 100% cooperation.

Be well,

S.

Tipem

I would think that an Enterprise transporter that would take you back in time would be devastating.Could you imagine returning to the turn of the century for a few "cherry" T cards. A handful of MINT Mantle rookies would also be "special".


Vic

helionaut

Talking cards. They tried this back in the 80s (?) with some sort of machine that you put special cards into and it would tell you the highlights of the player's career or something like that. I thought if UD's and Donruss's CD-ROM cards took off they might casue a shift away from plain cardboard, but they were pretty much DOA themselves.

SDavid

worst advancement? talking cards hooked up to some kind of satellite system so they can tell you how much money you've lost on them.

"you stupid fat @!#$@#%, you paid $450 for me last week and I'm currently selling for $75 HA HA HA HA HA.....And, BTW, I used to be a PSA 9...HA HA HA HA HA..."

That would really suck.

BugOnTheRug

<< <i>What would be the worst technological advancement for our hobby? >>


There are reports already circulating about a special 'water' from Area 51 in Nevada. When a drop of this water hits the top of a card, any card, it immediately turns it into an original 1952T Mantle (I'm told with at least a PSA 8 condition and no qualifiers.)

Pop's will go up and value down......

Time to unload.

BOTR

pandrews

<< <i>There are reports already circulating about a special 'water' from Area 51 in Nevada. When a drop of this water hits the top of a card, any card, it immediately turns it into an original 1952T Mantle (I'm told with at least a PSA 8 condition and no qualifiers.)

BOTR >>



its true.. they created the special "water" by mixing 2 other confidential ingredients with water taken from the "Fountain of Youth" in St. Augustine, Florida.. i've used it on a few 1976 Topps cards..

jrdolan

<< <i>a time machine coupled with a talent wand could cause panic for people who dumped their Gregg Jefferies rookies >>


A time machine, period. Then we could all go back to our childhoods, not to mention previous eras, and save all those cards that got tossed out or flipped or used in bicycle spokes. We could put them all in screwdown holders until PSA came into existence. Then everyone could have a PSA 9 Mantle rookie.

That would result in a few slightly modified values in SMR!

CON40

I gotta go woth the time machine too... but this could be a real hoot!

Since whatever existed in the past may still be around today, imagine if you went back to 1909 and snatched up a few T206 Honus Wagners... then, you pop back to 2004 to see the headlines that all the T206 Honus Wagners in PSA slabs have mysteriously "vanished" all at the same time! I think it would be the advent of a new form of crime... retro-stealing! Imagine the possibilities.

Spigrimace

Just think how many second chances Daryl Strawberry could get!!!! ohh...I guess he didn't need a time machine for that. lol

Cyphilissb

for us psa collectors the worst thing that could (and might) happen is a computer grading system that eliminates human error and is far more accurate. In fact i think that at some point this WILL happen and we will all have to rencapsulate into "computer graded" holders.

Aknot

I dont know about the Hobby, but if my wife ever found out how much I REALLY spend on these pieces of cardboard It would ruin the hobby for me.....

67standup

<< <i>I dont know about the Hobby, but if my wife ever found out how much I REALLY spend on these pieces of cardboard It would ruin the hobby for me..... >>



SHE: "Look at all those packages!"
ME: "Honey, each one is only worth about $5."

jrdolan

<< <i>for us psa collectors the worst thing that could (and might) happen is a computer grading system that eliminates human error and is far more accurate. In fact i think that at some point this WILL happen and we will all have to rencapsulate into "computer graded" holders. >>


Actually, computer grading is already here, and being used by CTA. Frankly, it blows. When I first re-entered the hobby last winter, I bought a few CTA-8 cards. When I was lucky they crossed to PSA 6. When I was unlucky they were trimmed. The computer method takes the measurements and if those are within a certain tolerance of the correct size, it passes. Apparently it does not see the tell-tale signs of trimming that graders look for.

fsjeter

Any advancement that would cause the price of cards to increase higher than they already have!

Scott

Aknot

<< <i>Any advancement that would cause the price of cards to increase higher than they already have!

Scott >>



Doesnt that already happen every 6 months?

TheCARDKid

A computerized grading machine. This seems almost inevitable at some point. How many PSA 10's will we see then?

Cards with electronic devices and chips in them. What a hoot that would be.

Modern card companies bringing back dead players! Who wants a Babe Ruth "piece of skin" 1 of 1 Hologram card? With a matching DNA certificate?

Space travel to a parallel universe. Go back in time 50 years ago and bring home some 1952 Topps Hi Number cases. Show Mastro who's really got the goods

jmullen

PSA's ability to create 1 oversized and 1 tallboy slab. If you have any card that is larger than a normal card ... it gets put in a tallboy slab. How rediculous is that? I have cards that are getting damaged in PSA slabs because they can't go order other sizes. This, in my opinion, is the only reason GAI is superior to PSA ... because PSA doesn't care about preserving the condition of their "off-size cards".

Jeff

Jeff@vintagebasketballcards.info