Altered images on trading cards have been around for several years and in most cases it’s used as a tool to remove something, typically a logo of a team or a company not associated with the sport involved. However, the altering of images used on cards has become more prevalent for a variety of reasons.
One of the reasons is to provide collectors with the most up-to-date images possible and it’s the reason I want to discuss today. While recently searching for a Billy Burns card on eBay, I noticed that there were two Bowman cards that had extremely similar images so I started to “investigate.” Upon looking at the two cards shown in the picture below, it’s very apparent that Topps simply “photoshopped” their original image of Burns in his Nationals uniform to show him in his A’s uniform, which is where he’s currently playing and quickly becoming a fan favorite.
So, I want to hear from you! How do you feel about altered or “photoshopped” images in cases such as this one where Topps simply updated their photo to provide collectors with a more current image? Do you agree with it? Should manufacturers be allowed to do this or should they be required to only use the original images?
Let me know how you feel in the comments section below!
Happy Collecting!