It Used to be Different

The topic of vagueness written on the back of game used cards from the past couple years is discussed prominently among baseball card collectors.  Since I got back into collecting in 2010, I noticed that Topps wouldn't say anything specific about the origin of the piece of cloth on the back of the cards I own.  I thought this was a joke and a scam.  The tiny piece of fabric could be from anywhere.

I still look past this possible farce and still purchase and trade for game used cards.  They still look cool and may be from a piece of jersey worn by my favorite players.  When I started to pick up game used cards from the early to mid 2000s, I noticed that the words written by the card companies were specific.  In those years, card companies left no question that the enclosed fabric is from a game used uniform.

I was getting my autographed cards and relics alphabetized.  This gave me a chance to check out all the sweet autos and relics that I have accumulated over the past couple years.  It was a fun chance to browse through these cards and see things that I may have missed or forgotten about.

The above card is a 2004 Donruss Timeless Treasures Hideo Nomo Relic #ed/95.  This card was released to honor his Rookie of the Year Award winning season in 1995.

Donruss gives me no doubt as to where the piece of uniform came from.  Donruss states that it came from a piece of Nomo's pants that he wore in a major league game in 1995.  Perfect explanation by Donruss.  Those words on the back of the card makes this card even better and more valuable to me.

Here is an Ian Kinsler card from 2011 Topps Marquee.  This card looks great and I don't own many relics that are this massive.  Having Kinsler peering over his jersey and getting squeezed off the card is awesome as well.

The back of this card takes away my enjoyment that I get from the front of the card.  Topps leaves a half-assed explanation of what I won.  That explanation leaves me with so many questions.

What part of the uniform is this from?  Whose uniform is this piece of cloth from?  Was it ever a piece of a uniform worn by a major league baseball player?

It is a shame that this has happened over a short period of time for relics.  They would be a lot more fun and a more excitable pull if the card companies worded the authenticity more like Donruss in 2004.