I’m going to keep my writing to a minimum, and try to tell the story mostly with pics.

In 2015, Panini came out with the first BASH BROTHERS booklet card.  It came in two flavors:  Autographed and Patch.  They were numbered to just 5 each.

The Autographed booklet
Pros: First and currently only “real” autographed booklet of the brothers in bash.
Cons:  Drab looking, it says “combo materials” instead of “combo signatures”, the McGwire autograph is UPSIDE DOWN  (NOTE: To the others who have this card, please do not think I’m putting this card down – I really want one!)

The Patch booklet
Pros: The colors of the patches POP LIKE CRAZY.  Plain & simple, the card needed the color.  The Canseco patch is possibly the nastiest non sleeve patch I’ve ever seen on a card.
Cons: No autographs

I am STILL waiting to get my hands on the autographed version.  The patch version above is actually a duplicate for me, as I picked it up in hopes of doing a deal for an autographed version . No dice on that front … for now.

My excitement about the patch booklet, and lack thereof for the signature booklet caused me to ask people on the forums to see if I was alone, or if they felt the same.  Many people said the patch booklet was their choice, though several also said Panini should have done a combo signature/materials version.  Since I have a double for the moment, I figured … let’s give it a try.

MATERIALS USED:   ALL National Treasures Product (note: The Canseco shown in the pic below is actually the replacement I just picked up on the cheap for my collection.)

STEP ONE:  Pull out the National Treasures Canseco autograph you are going to be sacrificing for “the greater good”

STEP TWO: Carefully begin surgery

STEP THREE: Hold up the extracted specimen for the camera to see.

STEP FOUR: Pull out the McGwire booklet that is about to be carefully disected

STEP FIVE:  Show the pics of surgery on the McGwire booklet, and dodge the vomit being hurled by the people watching with weak stomachs

STEP SIX:  Show my favorite helper on this project who played a very important role.

STEP SEVEN:  Surgically implant the signatures into the booklet.

There you have it, the world’s only dual patch / autograph Bash Brothers National Treasures booklet.

PROS:  I did not have to take apart the booklet at all, and the signatures are not glued down or anything.  They fit very snugly in the windows.  The McGwire autograph is right side up.  The patches are authentic and so are the signatures – ALL from National Treasures.
CONS: Since this card did not come from Panini with all of the pieces together already, it is not checklisted.

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As an added bonus, I pulled out a box of Canseco stuff that just happens to have several autographed game used bat barrel pieces from the game used bat I cut up 😀 and selected one to put into the castrated National Treasures Canseco card.

After selecting one and sanding it down, I made a custom National Treasures silver ink bat barrel card:

Just like the booklet, it isn’t a checklisted, but it utilizes a real National Treasures card and a real game used bat barrel that has been signed in silver ink by Jose.

The question now, is this:  Should I STILL go for the dual signature booklet instead of the booklet I modified above?  I still want it, but it is strange, because I would be choosing between a non-checklisted booklet with incredible, real patches and authentic signatures vs. a drab, checklisted booklet with no patches.  The official checklist is a strong drug.  What are your thoughts?