Topps Triple Threads Relic Question???

hookem

When Topps Triple Threads cards have a relic such as a bat or jersey are they actual game used materials? The wording makes me unsure of what I am bidding on: "The relics contained on this card are not from any specific game, event, or season."

So does this mean a player such as Mantle, Jackie, Reese, etc used that item in their playing era or is this just a jersey they put on while signing at an auto show? Some of them seem to be really cool items and sell relatively cheap so I am trying to make sure I don't start buying what I think are game used bats/jersey's/etc and they are not.

Thanks!

Example auctions:
Frank Robinson

Mantle MVP

I wanted to buy this one but did not bid since I was not sure what I would be getting:
DiMaggio 56 Game Hit Streak

hhmag70

I think they try and be as generic as possible when writing up the description. Of the examples you gave, I would say the Frank Robby is definately game used by him at some point during his career (not in the game with 2 Grand Slams). The Mantle does not show the back of the card so I have no guess. The Joe D. shows exactly why they are so generic with the description, some buyers may think it is game used and grab it, Topps never said it was and never said it was not.

My guess when I see "event worn" it means a photo shoot, auto session, something like that. I would look for "game used" to be specified if that is what you really want.

CrazyMind2017

I have several of these types of cards, and that's basically my interpretation as well. "Event worn" means the player used the item for 5-10 seconds at a contrived press conference. "Game used" means just that, although this can also include spring training or other exhibition games unless specified otherwise.

Usually there's a disclaimer about bats and jerseys in which the card manufacturer describes the item as "represented as having been game used by the player depicted on the card" at the time it was acquired by the manufacturer. In other words, Topps or Upper Deck or whoever made the card likely bought the bats and jerseys at auctions where the seller and auction house claimed the items to be game used by that particular player. They're absolving themselves of responsibility if it's ever shown that the relic in question was a fake.

The sticker autographs are generally guaranteed to be authentic by the manufacturer, at least from 1998 and later. Sometimes this means a representative from the card manufacturer witnessed the signature. Other times it means they sent blank stickers to the player, the player (supposedly) signed them, and then the player signed some sort of legal document testifying to the authenticity of the signatures (i.e., that he signed them himself and didn't have his wife/kids/secretary/mistress do it for him).

hookem

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense and is probably why some of these items are not closing as high as I expected. I viewed some of them similar to "Rookie Premier" type of Topps football rookies.

Glad to see I was not looking outside for black helicopters.

CrazyMind2017

I see black helicopters outside all the time.

johnny1976

For the older players it could be a jersey that was used in an old timers game. I bought a Stan Musial "game used" jersey card and found out after I recieved it that is was a jersey swatch from an old timers game.

scmavl

For awhile, I was into these cards and owned both Ruth & Mantle relic cards. However, I started questioning these very things we're talking about, and decided to not collect these types of cards any longer. The only one I still have is a Stan Musial that is also signed and numbered 10/10.

CrazyMind2017

<< <i>For the older players it could be a jersey that was used in an old timers game. I bought a Stan Musial "game used" jersey card and found out after I recieved it that is was a jersey swatch from an old timers game. >>



When I see Whitey Ford jersey swatches that are made of polyester and have the zigzag pinstripe design that wasn't used until the 1970s, this seems conclusive and definitive.

Billy Martin provides more gray area, since he managed the team and wore those types of uniforms in the dugout during real games.

I once declined to bid on a Mattingly card because the information on the front referenced his days as the Yankees hitting coach. It seemed too probable that the swatches were from his coaching career and not his playing career.

brian26

A lot of jersey cards from the early 2000s, especially those made by Donruss/Leaf and Upper Deck, specifically said on the back that the g/u piece was certified as being worn/used in an official major league game by that player.

In the past five years or so, Topps certifications on the back have become much more generic and don't specifically say the g/u piece was worn/used by that specific player or in a MLB game.

NickM

A lot of Upper Deck certifications are becoming very generic too.

Nick