Well loved 40 years ago versus well loved now

As I mentioned on last night's post, there were a few cards in the lot that Brian from the Triple C (shortened because I'm lazy) blog that you could definitely consider "well loved".  I sat here at my computer and thought to myself...

40 year old cards...well loved...collectors usually love them.  There's a story behind them.

40 day old cards....well loved....collectors probably would spit on them.  These are new!!  What the hell!!

I thought that kind of odd.   So I enlisted my better half to perform an experiment.   First, here's some of the well loved '73 cards for your amusement.


First, here is Jim Brewer, card # 126.  Do not confuse him with "Goat Boy" Jim Breuer (Video has some language  NSFW).

Kind of tame as far as well loved goes.  Some creases, corners damaged.

Next up is Gerry (don't call him Holy) Moses.  Card # 431

Still corner damage, especially lower left, but now this one is off center and has paper loss in the upper left hand corner. 

Next up is Larry Gura, card # 501.  This is about as tame as they get when it comes to well loved in this group.

I checked.  Larry never played 3rd base in the bigs.  Nor did he wear the number 38.  Would love to hear why the lettering/numbering appeared on the card....

Next up is Dave Roberts, card # 39.  It appears that Dave will not have to shave as much anymore.

Maybe he could have auditioned for a part in the movie "Face off" ??

Finally, this is as extreme as it gets for well loved.   Tommy John, card # 258

Combination of through the bike spokes and through the laundry (maybe more than once).  Well loved indeed!!

Now, let's compare to some well loved, but not quite as old cards.  Our next 3 examples come from the 2011 and 2012 Topps flagship sets.  Thank you to my wife Jane for her great creativity with these cards, especially since she had very little time to perform some "magic".


First, let's start with Miguel Tejada, Card US322 from the 2011 Update set.

My wife tried to give Miguel a mustache.  Didn't work out quite the way she wanted it. You can't see the 3 dimensions of the card, but it was starting to resemble a pyramid when it was returned to me.

Next up is Gaby Sanchez, card US 321, also from 2011 Update

You can plainly see that Gaby now has antennae coming from his helmet, much like the Great Gazoo did many years ago in the Flintstones.  A great crease along the middle of the card accentuates the ball like scratch on the left hand side just below Gaby's elbow.

Finally, we have Matt Holliday, card # 320 from 2012 Series 1.

They are impossible to see, but both Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday are suffering from paper clip scratches.  The paper loss in the upper right hand  corner is of course taboo for a one year old card, right?

1973?  2011/12?  Which well loved cards do you prefer? 

The modern cards have a back story now.  

I'll let you decide.

thanks for reading, Robert