Because the result, though not certified,
is NOT A STICKER.
Why does everyone happily converge on a set that includes on-card autographs, such as 2009 Goodwin Champions,
even if most of the autographs in the set are players just slightly more well known than Aunt Tillie? Because the signatures are on-card. Why do eBay auctioneers specify "on-card auto" when they want to seek top dollar? Four syllables: not a sticker.
How would a refractor look with a sticker slammed onto it? Not good! Why do collectors love vintage autos, even ones in ballpoint pen?
Word! Stickers weren't even invented yet. In fact, we believe the Maya were not referring to all of humanity coming to an end in 2012; they were referring only to STICKER AUTOGRAPHS on baseball cards. Doesn't make sense for civilization to encourage sticker autos to continue existing. There can be no logical argument made for cards that depict players who probably have never even seen the card their sticker is being affixed to.
You'll see: binders will be lighter in 2012.
We're not sure sticker autos can ever have personal stories, either.


Not sure exactly how cut autos fit into all this...except why should cut autos even exist of modern players? They may be better than stickers, but are NOT as good as on-card. Unless we're talking Babe Ruth.
Now that we've definitively and for all time cleared up the sticker vs. on-card question, we need to know, What are your three favorite on-card autos? TTM, in person, certified, whatever...as long as they are on-card. In anticipation of your responses, we declare this ACTUAL AUTOGRAPHS WEEK! Or at least Actual Autographs Wednesday.
Leave a link (or send an email photo of your fave and we'll post it). You truly never fail to amaze, so we're anxious to see the results! It takes a village to make a great post. Also, if you must, you may confess one exception to the absolute 'On-Card Autos Rule' Rule. In our case, predictably, it's David:
Although if push came to shove, this on-card David may be the one we take to the desert island:


"a player need not stand 6 feet tall nor boast bulging biceps to be a whiz-bang performer."

What? You don't assess cardboard in terms of "cute"? All right, is this not the hopiest baseball card you've ever seen? Derek Jeter with his usual ballpark face talking to David Wright, capless, looking into the sun, gearing up for what will be an enjoyable WBC series. Little does David know that he should greatly enjoy these Team USA games, because they will be the last success he knows this season. Ahead of him: stinky Mettiness and a concussion. DJ, on the other hand, has everything good ahead of him, including a World Series victory.
JD's Wild Cardz
David Wright's soon-to-be smashed head bows before Jeter and Victorino. This 2009 Topps Updates and Highlights card may in fact depict the highlight of David's season.
As we've noted before, the Topps base set this year, including U&H, was overall quite pleasing. We've seen the 2010 previews and don't like them quite as much. At least, that's what we think until we see them in person. Here we have Jeremy puttin' on the bunt.
Topps Chrome! Love it! Shiny! KISS: Keep It Simple & Shiny.
On the leftermost Topps card we have Albert Pujols in the Home Run Derby, not hitting; on the right, we have Albert possibly hitting a home run. Prince Albert is not in the top ten Baseball Moneymakers, you know. But AJ Burnett is! Eww!
Ken RC.
By the way, here's a detail from the Santana 2008 Sweet Spot. Why is that fellow with the ill-fitting pants standing in the bullpen?
Note to Topps: as a rule, using UPC symbols as a premier design element for a card is not the best idea in the world. Also, the graphics on the bottom are awful.








And then there's The Back. You see the text here? No equivocation! Refreshingly direct language! Barry Zito WORE this jersey bit in an official Oakland Athletics MLB game, buster. Oh, for those days back in 2003, when we were young and hopeful, and jersey bits were jersey bits and not unwanted bat boy undertogs.
Finally, here is Kimera. At first we thought






Brief UD interlude: the classic Curtis baserunning stance.
There it is again. The All-Star inserts are nice. That's a classic David batting pose, too. Ooops, his pantyline is showing. Not that we're complaining.
Shane Victorino demonstrates a creaseless rear view.












Josh:



