General Forum

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185631328775?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D242764%26meid%3D541a38db5db8400bad80ff6e6ddda737%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D185629937909%26itm%3D185631328775%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuAspectsV202110NoVariantSeedKnnRecallV1DwebOnly%26brand%3DHistoric+Autographs%2C+LLC&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A185631328775541a38db5db8400bad80ff6e6ddda737%7Cenc%3AAQAHAAABQPnNgQzrwy4hcSW%252F1r0wjcHUoW2vznLktC1ywnd%252BfgwtVkfbqrg79mnCGmVqoaequeJtVfKXg136SWaKVngTop3JnbmUEUdhfiQsEDWfHdb4bEXwbPVLjrVjOid046xVvUfQXT6uhr5eeWoc50y6NlIDzxlU6JRoyFebbs95MiQUVPqvyvbRqmOuzPefePovhKmAPQT9%252BKugrPoeXSqyxwyRli5g%252BUzL%252FWmChp4FxWkdAqyffEDznwb1ow5VGdtvXMLb%252FlB51by0uEG7N%252BfBlLD7dhutq7%252FlN96aY%252F1Z%252BxvKa2HjvILnVVJNm7Lcz9P%252Bzsja%252FhbzITxaSCs23KtWcdCVhvhLI3Qi6Y6CwMnem2vnBOfeqy1SAfk%252BgZdsPmmR0F7icREbz%252Fjoq%252FZKi1fzMJosuT2nse%252Fo6NY2ezxGAN8u%7Campid%3APLX_CLK%7Cclp%3A2047675

How exactly would someone even verify that this is actual dirt from the location mentioned on the card and not just play sand taken from a bag at your local hardware store?  So many questions on this one.

I've seen ballpark/stadium dirt for years included as relics, especially in manufactured memorabilia pieces (but trading cards as well, the Topps Opening Day sets have dirt relic cards as rare inserts). 

These are super oddball though. It seems the wording is that the dirt was taking just "off" the park land, which would seem to be that it was right outside the boundary of the park (legal obligations perhaps). Could have been scooped at a nearby roadside or just taken from anywhere really. 

What is next a Coors Light aluminum can or tab that was dinked by a famous person at a world series or a 1/2 eaten hot dog or Philly Cheese Steak. Some of these mems are just money grabbing scams in my opinion.

I think the first, or one of the first, instances of this is from 1996 Ultra Ripken Diamond Dust. To commemorate his consecutive game streak they used some Camden Yards infield dirt

1996 Ultra - Cal Ripken, Jr. Diamond Dust #NNO Cal Ripken, Jr. | Trading Card Database (tcdb.com) 

Well, truthfully, who is to say that the jersey clip or the bat shard is actually from the player presented on the card? Relics can always be questionable, and one has to have a leap of faith that the company is being honest. Unless one sees someone cut up the jersey, or the player write the autograph, etc, we all have to take their word for it if one is into those things.

Regarding dirt, there was a Fenway Park dirt relic in the 2001 Fleer 100th Anniversary set. I'm carelessly interested, even if for all I know they just grabbed some dirt next to a tree off Comm Ave and put it in a card.

Don't give them any ideas.

Actually you reminded me of a funny story.  At a Star Trek convention several years ago, John de Lancie (the actor who plays Q) was there and was getting over a cold.  He was drinking water because his voice was shot.  When he left the stage, he'd left his water bottle behind.  Since they were raising money for a charity the moderator jokingly held up the bottle and asked if anyone would donate $1 for it.  It turned into a bidding war and I think the winner paid something like $100 to charity for it.  After winning, he ran up on stage, chugged the water and shouted out that now he had the Q virus.

Someone in Detroit has cut the bed sheets The Beatles once slept in and resold them in small squares. Other entrepreneurs resold locks of hair from Elvis Presley, emperor Napoleon and who else.

What's strange about that dirt, it looks solid, hard. I dunno, but if I go by a river, the ground will be muddy, rocky or sandy, not what something it looks like a slab (unless I slice a rock).

Dirt was one of my favorite toys as a kid!!

There's no way I'm buying that unless PSA can authenticate that Washington's horse stepped on that dirt.  I'm sure that can analyze it under a 10x microscope and match the horseshoe print with the pattern that they have on file of Washington's horse's horseshoe print.

Dirt can be a neat relic. There have been much worse in the past. I miss when relics were from a specific event and you knew for sure it was real.