I'm not sure if I've seen this asked of discussed before on the forum. A search didn't show me any results, so this may be a repost of an older issue.

I've just broken a box of BSG Season 4 (Yeah, Adama!!)
One of the cards I found is a double costume card for Lee Adama. Somehow, it looks as if the left piece of costume might have been colored red after it was built into the card. this is exactly as it came from the pack.
Anyone else have this? The red smear around the patch looks quite odd. Has someone at Rittenhouse been busy with red paint?

Send them an e-mail?

That's odd, I have about 5 of those cards, but not the one in question. They all look fine.

My first thought is that someone used a red marker to make the swatch look better and the marker bled, but I don't know if the color would stick to the card like that. Marker will generally smear off a card surface. Perhaps the material itself faded or leaked through the card.

If the color was changed by someone after the card was made, like a white piece to a red piece, then it is worthless. It doesn't help that the character is pictured in a white outfit, although those photos don't always match the material used. You should try to find pictures of the same card and see if the colors of the dual swatches were consistent.

Whether this was a result of the material degrading or someone playing around with the pieces, which has happened, if you can't get that smear off the best you will have here is a damaged card.

I just realized that you packed pulled this card. That kind of eliminates tapering because I seriously doubt anyone would intentionally do this from the manufacturer out. However it doesn't change the result, it's still damaged if it has defaced the card surface.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

Looks like the material they used from the costume was not fully dry when they made the cards up. Looking on the bright side you pulled an Olmos autograph!(extremely lucky)

Yes, I'll send them an e-mail. Just to hear what they think it might have been.
And Olmos... YEEEAAAAAHHH!!!!
(to think that yesterday it was also my birthday )

The fake blood stuff should be dried. The costume was worn and RA got it who knows how much later. It might have been effected by something else, like getting wet or heated. Hate to think the stuff just doesn't absorb, that would be kind of gross, and fake blood has shown up on swatches in many pieceworks without leakage.

It would be a good variant since it seems to have come from a part of the shirt with the most splatter. You just have to get the color off the surrounding card if you can because that will be counted to reduce the grade. If it's going to make it worse, leave it alone.

The kind people at Rittenhouse sent me a reply:
It’s a bloody shirt and that fake blood is gunky and thick, from the filming. It’s been seeping out of the tank top for the past couple years and now onto the card. This is the description in my product specs for the printer: "White bloodied tank top and slightly bloodied gray pant"

I guess that resolves the matter.
The fake blood probably wasn't really dry when the card was produced and being stored inside a pack must have deprived the substance from airing enough.
Bloody clothes and bloody cards.
It truly was a hard life aboard the battleship.

So gross is the answer then.

Rather not have any blood splatter on my relic cards from now on.

I think that is a great variant. Regardless of the fact that the fake blood has been absorbed by the layers of the card. It's a solid pull. These are the best cards to own. I have some sketches that have bled through to the back and this in no way affects the value. Remember there is always a collector that prefers a variant and you have a good one. Enjoy!