The Billy Ripken ‘F Face’ Card: Baseball’s Most Infamous Error
🧢 The Card:
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Player: Billy Ripken (Cal Ripken Jr.’s younger brother)
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Team: Baltimore Orioles
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Set: 1989 Fleer Baseball (#616)
😳 The Error:
On the original card, Billy is holding a bat with “F* Face” (fully spelled out)** written in black marker on the knob of the bat.
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It made it through production and into early print runs before anyone noticed.
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No one at Fleer caught it until it had already hit store shelves.
🔁 Fleer’s Censorship Response:
Once Fleer realized the issue, they scrambled to fix it, creating multiple corrected versions, which led to even more collector intrigue. These include:
Version | Description |
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Original Error | Shows full profanity clearly (rarest and most valuable) |
White Scribble | White-out over the words |
Black Box | Black rectangle over the knob |
Black Scribble | Black smudge trying to obscure it |
Corrected (no bat knob text) | Later version with the knob completely cleaned up |
Each variation made it into packs, creating a unique multi-variant chase card.
💰 Value:
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The uncensored "F* Face" version** in good condition can fetch $300–$1,000+, depending on centering and grading.
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Censored versions are less valuable but still collectible due to the story.
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Gem Mint (PSA 10) error versions have sold for $3,000–$5,000+ at times.
🤯 Why It Matters:
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It's not rare in the sense of print quantity, but it’s legendary because:
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It’s a real printing mistake that slipped by.
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It reflects a weird, wild moment in hobby history.
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It appeals to collectors of both error cards and pop culture oddities.
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🗞️ Bonus Fun Fact:
Billy later claimed the words were meant as a joke written during BP, and he forgot to swap the bat. The story has become hobby lore, and he’s embraced it in interviews.
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