June 25, 2025

The Billy Ripken ‘F Face’ Card: Baseball’s Most Infamous Error

🧢 The Card:

  • Player: Billy Ripken (Cal Ripken Jr.’s younger brother)

  • Team: Baltimore Orioles

  • 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.

  • It made it through production and into early print runs before anyone noticed.

  • 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
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:

  • The uncensored "F* Face" version** in good condition can fetch $300–$1,000+, depending on centering and grading.

  • Censored versions are less valuable but still collectible due to the story.

  • Gem Mint (PSA 10) error versions have sold for $3,000–$5,000+ at times.


🤯 Why It Matters:

  • It's not rare in the sense of print quantity, but it’s legendary because:

    • It’s a real printing mistake that slipped by.

    • It reflects a weird, wild moment in hobby history.

    • It appeals to collectors of both error cards and pop culture oddities.


🗞️ 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.