His eBay seller ID is cal-lector2131 <link>. He has some of the sickest, mojo-est, patches on eBay for Ripken and Gwynn cards. There is a serious problem though, the are most likely fake. Although some of his stuff is certified by IronClad and Stiener, his patch cards are not. Here is a sampling:
I really don’t ever like calling people out in such a public forum, but damn this is just not right. The two Ripken patches look like they were cut from the same patch. Then he has two very prime logos one of a hat and one of a jersey. Then finally the “error” glove instead of jersey card. These in my mind are all suspect. I don’t know if he did the alteration, or if he mistakenly bought it, or he knows and now wants to unload them. Either way, it’s a bit suspect.
What do you think?
The glove one is obviously the most suspect of them all, but I actually think it may be real. The glove card has got to be thicker than a normal jersey card, so it would be almost impossible to alter it without it being completely obvious. I tend to believe this one may actually be an error, but who really knows.
Either way, I think card companies will eventually quit producing them in an effort to cut down on forgery. I don’t know what we’ll do for “mojo” then!!! The horror! Oh, the humanity! Okay, I admit it – I loves me some relics… Dang it.
I noticed these auctions a few days ago, and have been in contact with the seller about the first two Ripkens listed above. He claims he didn’t know they were fakes, didn’t even know that fake patch cards existed at all, and stuck with his claim of pulling the mirror red patch card from a sealed pack. After my first message, he added the notes with those two auctions about the cards being fakes or possible fakes. I didn’t know enough about the other three cards you listed above, so I didn’t ask him about those. He seemed like a reasonable guy, though (and yes, I realize he could easily have been playing the “unaware of fakes” card).
Here’s the deal.
First Card– Mirror Red Jackie Robinson Patches were in team colors. It should be Orange, Not Blue.
Second Card-Leather and Lumber- Same Deal– Team Colors. No red should be on there.
Third Card- major League Materials- They didn’t have that tag style when Cal was playing. That Tag style might have been started in 04 or 05.
Fourth Card- Tony Gwynn Game day- The 59/50′s with black on the inside were started in 06 or 07, well past Tony Gwynns playing career. Gywnns should be white and made out of wool, not black and made out of moisture wicking material. Check out the inside of a grey under brimmed authentic cap, and the inside of a black brimed authentic cap.
The only one I can not say without a doubt is fake is the Gwynn Glove—theres enough room for error there. However—Considering 4 of 5 are fake, I wouldn’t want that card.
Wow, what a jerk! It’s also a big tip-off that they’re fake that the pics of the cards in question are a lot less clear then the other pictures he gas of other cards he’s selling. I say they’re fake and the fact that the patch card pics are blurrier tells you that he knows they’re fake. That’s just what I think. it could just be a quincidence though, you never know for sure.
http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-UD-Exquisite-MAXIMUM-LOGO-PATCH-Albert-Pujols-25_W0QQitemZ230346247669QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_SM_Sports_Cards?hash=item35a1b4cdf5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A4%7C294%3A50
that ones a fake for sure
Truly ironic how this guy picks a couple of the remaining well-liked personalities with integrity in the hobby for his little scam. I guess it’s because nobody’s really biting at well-done Clemens, Bonds, McGwire or Palmeiro fakes.
Heck, while he’s at it, why doesn’t he try to sell little bottles of Elvis sweat or Jesus tears or something. Just as much of a chance for those to be real. “The shortest verse in the Holy Bible! Now a piece of it can be yours! Committed to bringing you as close to Heaven as possible.”