A Most Mysterious Memorabilia Card
By Tracy Hackler
9/28/2009 4:05:42 PM
Quick, a show of hands: How many hardcore baseball collectors have ever seen this 1999 Upper Deck A Piece of History 500 Home Run Club Hank Aaron/Babe Ruth/Willie Mays bat card?
Yeah, it was a new one on us, too. We’d never even heard of it until recently, when it was brought to our attention by a prominent East Coast dealer that there were at least four of these cards in existence.
It’s easily one of the most historic memorabilia cards ever produced. It’s also one of the most mysterious.
The fact of the matter is that this card carries a 1999 copyright date and a design that’s true to the original and historic 1999 Upper Deck A Piece of History bat cards. Thing is, if it was pulled or otherwise released into the secondary market 10 years ago, no one knew about it.
Upper Deck didn’t include mention of this card in any sales material or press announcements back then, at least not that we can verify. Let’s face it: This could be the first triple bat card in hobby history– certainly UD would’ve trumpeted that from the mountaintops in 1999, especially considering how much mainstream media coverage the company garnered by slicing and dicing a Ruth bat, a simply preposterous notion at the time.
We’ve talked to folks on the inside at Upper Deck and we’ve talked to folks on the outside and we’ve heard quite a few unproven theories; everything from “it’s a really scarce card distributed to UD executives back in the day as a bonus” to “it was a card that was printed recently and made to look like the other 1999s” to “it was printed in 1999 but UD didn’t have the rights to ‘Player X’ so it’s just now coming to light.”
This much is certain: UD officials have confirmed that the card is legitimate and Beckett Select is auctioning off one of just five known copies in existence.
If we can procure any more details on the card, one of just four cards in existence to feature these three men together, we’ll absolutely share them with you first.
| Posted
9/28/2009 4:44:07 PM |
abjeffcoat
Total Posts:
383
Member Since: 9/27/2008
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That is absolutely amazing that a card like that could have been kept a secret for that long. Should bring in some good coin.
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9/28/2009 5:46:27 PM |
Rippinwax
Total Posts:
208
Member Since: 1/4/2005
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If you read the back of the card UD cannot verify the source of any of the memorabilia so therefore they got nervous trumpeting the card. As you know they have been burned before and were maybe just being careful! Just a theory!
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| Posted
9/28/2009 10:06:36 PM |
sneekc
Total Posts:
32
Member Since: 11/3/2004
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Seen it before, it's really not that rare as Beckett Media is trying to make it sound Which is fitting since beckett is auctioning a copy of the card. There have been 3-4 auctions of this card in the past 3-4 years, 2 ended very high, the other 2 were pulled early.
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| Posted
9/29/2009 10:24:21 AM |
Chitown Hustler
Total Posts:
140
Member Since: 6/16/1997
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Not as rare? You say you have seen 5-6. The story says 5, the auction says 5-10. Sounds like everyone is thinking the same thing.
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| Posted
9/29/2009 10:43:13 AM |
Card Opinionator
Total Posts:
114
Member Since: 8/30/2009
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This first Triple bat ever? How could that not be numbered? And never seen until 9 years after it was made? There has to be more to the story. That card is just too amazing, the REAL home Run leaders of all time!
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| Posted
9/29/2009 3:43:58 PM |
djohn
Total Posts:
260
Member Since: 7/7/1997
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From the wording on the back of the card it sounds like it was a single bat used by all 3 players. Of course it doesn't mention that it was game-used, so maybe it was just a bat that each player picked up and used to swing a few times. I just love ambiguity.
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http://www.beckett.com/userpages/djohn.html
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| Posted
9/29/2009 5:19:52 PM |
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Card Opinionator
Total Posts:
114
Member Since: 8/30/2009
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Those three pieces of wood came from three different bats, no question. Look at the wood grain patterns and colors. Very different.
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