Game Used – What is the future?
In 1997 Upper Deck wowed the baseball card collecting world with a new concept that combined game used jerseys and baseball cards. In 2005 Absolute Memoribilia
took things up another notch, offering a Babe Ruth Jumbo GU Jersey Card
. Over 13 short years GU has already carved for itself a very interesting history. What in 1995 didn't exist as a part of the hobby, now exists as an integral part of it.
Game used cleats, batting gloves, jackets, hats, pants, bats, benches, stadiums seats and oh so much more have been incorporated into cards. So now, after more than 10 years of game used cards ,a few things stand out to me:
1. Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth
GU Cards will always sell for a ton - the most famous Yankees ever = big money.
2. Manufacturers can make an infinite amount of GU jersey cards of current and recently retired players. Even patches, the possibilities as far as print runs go are limitless.
3. In spite of the fact above, jumbo patches, even of current players continue to sell very well. This is in spite of the fact that owning a really nice jumbo patch
will often bring on that horrible question, "you think its a fake?"
Although patches and some other selected game used items continue to provide collectors value. Over time, this value has declined. The question now becomes, what must card manufacturers do to keep the game used concept fresh? Three suggestions:
1. Continue to offer the jumbo varieties of jerseys, patches and bats. 2009 Ultimate
has proved that the jumbo patch market is a long ways from saturated.
2. Offer specific information on the card, about the game, that the bat or jersey was used in. This has been done to some degree with All-Star Patches and was also incorporated with a Leaf Rookies & Stars product. They should do more of it, do it with the World Series, Playoffs, No-Hitters, Perfect Games, 4 Home Run games and so forth. It builds the story behind the card and makes it so much more interesting, as opposed to "yeah, I think he wore this in a game."
3. Obtain and offer, even if in small quantities GU items of pre-WWII players. Although many of these pieces are in museums and many consider cutting them up to be sacrilege, Topps and UD have been able to obtain them in the past. Game used cards of Napoleon Lajoie, Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner
are exciting. But what about Cy Young, Cap Anson, Wee Willie Killer, Walter Johnson, Rube Waddell, John McGraw, Mike "King" Kelly and more? None of those exist today but I believe would be huge hits, were they to exist.
Pre-WWII GU interests me a great deal and I will write more on that topic at a later date. What are your ideas for keeping GU new and fresh?
Interesting fact of the day, you can now pick up the 1997 Rey Ordonez GU Jersey for about a buck on eBay.
