Gone with the stain

[G1911]

I brush detritus off a card with my finger, and if the corner is bent over, I bend it back so it fits into a stack of cards better. I will also scratch dirt off with my finger. Am I a card doctor?

[butchie_t]

Rubbing wax off the front of a card with a nylon, card doctor too?

Because I am guilty as hell of doing that and I STILL sleep at night.

This certainly be taken to an extreme. I just added more. Carry on..

Butch

[Gorditadogg]

Originally Posted by G1911

I brush detritus off a card with my finger, and if the corner is bent over, I bend it back so it fits into a stack of cards better. I will also scratch dirt off with my finger. Am I a card doctor?

You may be, but not because of that.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[Jim65]

I always found it strange that some damaged antiques/collectibles gain value by being restored but restoring a baseball card is considered fraud.

I wouldn't want a restored card but I can see how others might not care, if the restoration is not detectable.

[ALR-bishop]

Butch— I never brush off wax residue. Not because someone might consider it an alteration but because a wax residue gives a card character. Same with gum stains. . Wax wrappers and gum. Great combo.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Butch— I never brush off wax residue. Not because someone might consider it an alteration but because a wax residue gives a card character. Same with gum stains. . Wax wrappers and gum. Great combo.

Understood. Well, I do and I don’t give it a second thought. Heck, I even did it when I bought cards way back in the 60s-70s. Mind you, I used a washcloth back then, not knowing about nylons at the time. But, I still did it. As for wax on the back of a card, I don’t care about them and it stays.

Edit: I miss the smell of the gum. Call me a card romantic.

:shrug:

Butch

[irv]

In my opinion, a "Doctored" card is one that has been trimmed, had corners repaired, had color added and creases and wrinkles pressed out.
Removing wax with nylons, removing cardboard/paper (due to being stuck in a scrap book) via soaking in water is not.

Read a gazillion of these backs and forths over the years and it will never be settled, never have an agreeable set of rules/guidelines.

[Bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by irv

In my opinion, a "Doctored" card is one that has been trimmed, had corners repaired, had color added and creases and wrinkles pressed out.
Removing wax with nylons, removing cardboard/paper (due to being stuck in a scrap book) via soaking in water is not.

Read a gazillion of these backs and forths over the years and it will never be settled, never have an agreeable set of rules/guidelines.

That's about where I land on this subject. There's a thousand "Well, what about....?" scenarios, but removing surface material that is not supposed to be on a card does not qualify as 'doctoring' IMO. Sort of like washing your car.

Just one collector's opinion.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Jim65

I always found it strange that some damaged antiques/collectibles gain value by being restored but restoring a baseball card is considered fraud.

I wouldn't want a restored card but I can see how others might not care, if the restoration is not detectable.

The fraud is when the ‘restoration’ is not disclosed, as happens 99% of the time. The trimming and altering in and of itself isn’t.

[ALR-bishop]

If the listing says "For Sale As Is", is that disclosure ?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

If the listing says "For Sale As Is", is that disclosure ?

I recent one by a short time member. "It wasn't sold as unaltered".

[raulus]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I recent one by a short time member. "It wasn't sold as unaltered".

It was a brilliant defense. Too bad he scarpered before giving us more in the way of explanation of his motives and the extent of his chicanery.