Hey guys. So I’ve owned this GS Ray for 3 months now and overall I’ve been very happy with it. However, the little asterisk that keeps popping up for me is the signature that is on the case. Today I feel like it looks like flipper trash but yesterday I thought it was a pretty neat signature with an awesome sketch. I think I’d enjoy it much more if it were actually on the card as opposed to the case. Not to mention the fact that it is personalized to ‘Satoshi’ which bugs me every time I look at it.
With that said, I’m debating two options: 1) Keeping the sig (personalization and all) and just making peace with the fact that I wasn’t there so I can’t be choosy or 2) Wiping the slab clean completely (sketch and sig included) and hoping for Fukuda to return to the US at some point in my lifetime and having a raw GS Ray for him to sign.
Some other potentially relevant caveats: I don’t want to remove just the personalization as it would be an ‘altered signature’ which would make me feel even worse. I don’t plan on ever selling this card regardless of what happens to it. I did get the signature authenticated by PSA/DNA and have a LOA for it.
Edit: Should also clarify that I bought the card with the sig already in place. I did not get the card signed myself.
That’s a good point. I guess I would sort of regret it. The sig and sketch are cool. Fukuda is my favorite artist. That said, the context seems to be getting in the way of my enjoyment of both of those things.
I would normally agree. However, my understanding is that the event where this was signed required a personalization. To remove it kind of strikes me as a violation of the artists’ terms and messes up the spirit of the signing. I’d love to hear others’ thoughts on this.
The card is mass produced. The signature and sketch are unique and special imo.
If you want a clean card I think you should sell this one (for a premium I would guess) and buy a clean copy. I think removing any part of it would be a shame.
Japanese artists want personalizations done because they don’t want flippers getting stuff signed just to profit off it, having ‘To Johnno’ or something on the card is a good deterrent. I doubt this guys name was Satoshi, if you’re not flipping it I don’t think it’s a violation of the spirit of the signing to wipe it.
This is the way I think of it, you bought the card so you have the right to do whatever you want to the card. No one can tell you what to do or not to do with your card. If you want the satoshi part on the case then leave it, If you don’t then just really carefully wipe it off. I would say it doesn’t count as altered because its not his auto your wiping away, your just getting rid of writing that says Satoshi. I’m sure he has signed cards without personalization before.
You bought it because you liked it and then people corrupted your opinion.
I got my PSA 4 copy signed on the case. It was one I pulled back when the set was new and I graded it myself years later. I wanted the signature to be a part of the story for that card without it altering the original card I pulled or the original grade it got. I purposely chose to have the case signed because of this. My card, my choice, no one else’s opinion matters even remotely.
The card you liked and chose to buy, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. It’s a mint copy of one of the most desirable cards in this hobby with a clean signature and a fucking sick sketch of rayquaza done by the literal artist who drew the card. There is nothing special about having the ink on the cardstock instead of plastic. You’re losing sight of the significance of the piece when you focus on this. The reasons you probably bought it was because the artwork is incredible, the condition is impeccable and it was literally handled and acknowledged by the artist. None of this changes whether it’s on the case or the card.
Sure there’s nothing wrong at all with preferences. But if anyone has a serious problem with the fact that your card is signed on the case, not only have they lost sight of the plot but they are probably sad or jealous individuals that are far too concerned with the preferences of other people.
Wow. I wish I could do more than like this. This post cut right through to the heart of my issue. I love the sketch and the signature. It’s my favorite card from my favorite artist. Maybe I got too caught up in the noise to see how awesome this card is.
hold onto it as it is currently. like a booster box, right now you have ALL the options in front of you, but once you open that booster box, you can never go back. likewise, once you wipe it, it’s gone. i would wait till you get a raw card signed by the artist, then deal with this card. for now, just let it be a work-in-progress piece. you are stronger than your emotions.
