Posted By:
davidcyclebackRelevant questions include how does the market price change when the alteration has been disclosed, and has the alteration been disclosed.
Personally, I don't have problem with glue or album paper being removed from a card as that material wasn't original to the card and isn't a part of the card. Ink is also a foreign substance, but removal can be problematic on a physical level.
Also realize that grade is a second issue. A collector may not have an ethical problem with ink being removed from an otherwise Mint card, but will hold the removal against the card grade-wise. He may consider the fixing up of any kind as preventing the card from grading Mint, no matter how Minty it looks. That's his rule, and likely a rule held by many. That he sees no ethical issue with ink removal does not automatically mean he views the grade itself as untarnished.
My rule is if you're altering a card strictly because of money, you shouldn't do it. There may be good reason to trim a card, but money isn't it.