Back in 2011, Leaf Trading Cards introduced its Executive Collection Cut Signatures program. At this time Leaf was already becoming known for its cut signature cards which were permanently encapsulated (slabbed) with an identification label. A "cut signature" is an autograph that was literally cut from an item -- usually but not always paper -- such as a photo, magazine, program, poster, etc. A signed index card is technically not a cut signature but usually has similar value and uses.
While taking scissors or an Exacto knife to an autographed item seems destructive, there are many reasons why it sometimes makes sense. The original item could be personalized or damaged. With sports, it could be on an item from a team that the athlete played for only briefly. With entertainers, it could be on an item from an unpopular movie or TV show.
A cut signature of significant value can be matted with a photo and framed, or authenticated and encapsulated by third party authentication companies like Beckett Authentication Services and PSA/DNA. Leaf and other trading card companies provided another alternative, which was making the cut into a trading card by mounting it in a card frame.
Leaf took this concept to another level with Executive Collection Cut Signatures by offering the public to submit cut signatures to be made into custom cards. Starting in 2011 and continuing through 2018, when Leaf ended the program, the first Executive Collection Cut Signature submitted of a particular athlete or celebrity during a calendar year would be designated a Masterpiece 1/1 card with the card frame and label stating such.
In addition to the fee that Leaf charged for this service, the cuts submitted would either have to be already authenticated by JSA or PSA/DNA (BAS once it was established during the last few years). Leaf would verify the authentication on the BAS, JSA or PSA/DNA website before producing the card. In the production process the authentication sticker was destroyed unless it was a multisigned item and not all the signatures were used.
In 2012 Leaf added double sided Dual Cut SIgnature cards to the Executive Collection program, which meant that the first unique COMBINATION of two (or more, if they were small enough to fit) signatures in each calendar year would also qualify as a Masterpiece 1/1 card. Leaf produced a regularly updated Population Report listing all the cards made to date. Unfortunately, they removed the Population Reports from their website after they ended the program, but I posted the Leaf Population Reports for the last three years here: 2016 2017 2018
Over the 8 years of the program, I submitted thousands of cuts to Leaf and they produced close to 3,000 Masterpiece 1/1 cards for my business. I have sold more than 2,000 of them, the vast majority on eBay which is still the world's top marketplace for trading cards. Because my Leaf sales were strong on eBay, I listed only a small portion on AutographsForSale.com.
Once Leaf ended the program after 2018 (except for a small number of 2019 cards Leaf produced with their own in house cuts), I finally and belatedly decided to offer my entire Leaf Cut Signature inventory on AutographsForSale.com. It took a LOT of work, but I managed to get that project finished around Thanksgiving 2019. Since then I have sold many Leaf cards on AutographsForSale.com but eBay is still where I sell the most. So far in 2020 I have sold roughly 100 Leaf Cut 1/1 cards.
At the moment, I have a little over 700 different Leaf Cut 1/1 cards left for sale both on eBay and AutographsForSale.com (categorized by genre and sport). On eBay my prices are higher because I offer "free" shipping and another small percentage to account for eBay fees. If these cards interest you, you will save a little buying them on AutographsForSale.com, and more if you buy multiple cards at the same time.
Because these cards have strong, consistent demand, and Leaf discontinued the program, my Leaf Cut 1/1 prices are generally increasing, not decreasing. I would say that for every Leaf Cut 1/1 card that I lower the price, I increase the price on a dozen other ones. When a living athlete or celebrity passes away, generally their Leaf Cut 1/1 cards are the first items of theirs I sell. I'm not trying to sell you hype, just stating the facts.
