Rebuilt Corners - example and what to look for

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

This is a good example of why every collector should have at least a halogen light, a 10X loupe as well as a black light as part of their collection. It also should be a good reason for PSA (and others?) to stop admittedly just eyeballing cards and actually use instruments for alteration detection.

Many have heard of rebuilt corners and added stock but few collectors have ever actually seen one....or at least a high-end example. The problem is that a quality rebuilt corner is very difficult, at best, to detect. As you can see here, this one got past the graders.

Here is how the card looks under normal conditions and ambient light. There seems to be no problems and it appears to be graded accurately. You cannot see the alteration.



When placed under a halogen light the cardboard will take on a slightly different appearance and small things such as dents, dings, toning, wrinkles, paper loss and recolored areas will reveal themselves. In this case, the halogen light and the angle of the card showed the added stock. This is magnified several times for effect. Although it loks obvious from the picture, believe it or not in person it is still very difficult to see. What looks to be a large lump is actually just a shadow effect.





Rebuilt corners and added stock need to be applied with an adhesive. In most cases a starch based glue is made and is the preferred method for joining paper. Under a black light these starches instantly illuminate revealing the altered areas. When inspecting cards it’s always a good idea to run them quickly under a black light...but a halogen and loupe are the most important inspection tools you can own.





Kevin Saucier

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Posted By: Jason L

very interesting and helpful.

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Posted By: mr. moses

and examples. You complied. I continue to applaud your efforts. I hope more will be forthcoming.....

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Posted By: Josh Adams

Kevin,

Thank, that is very informative.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Kevin- it appears from your example of a rebuilt card that it sadly resides in one of the grading company's holders.

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Posted By: leon

thanks...that is very helpful....

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Posted By: Brian

Nice post Kevin.

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

Thanks, Kevin, for the valuable insight.

(Side note: It's been about 17 hours since your post, and nobody has bitched yet about you not providing enough -- or purposely witholding -- information. I'm amazed.)

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Posted By: Joann

Kevin - thanks so much for the info and especially the great photo illustrations. I always appreciate knowledge gained from this board, and your post is a great tutorial on the subject.

My first saved thread! How timely that another thread outlines how to do it while retaining the pictures and images.

J

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Posted By: Marc S.

Kevin-

Phenomenal work, as always. Care to share which card in particular you're showing on this thread?

Cheers and thank you-
Marc

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Posted By: dstudeba

Thanks for the Pictures Kevin. In your opinion what was the grade bump from rebuilding the corners? A PSA 2 to a 5? A PSA 5 to a 7?

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

Thank you very much!

Sorry Marc, I wish I could. I made it a point not to show the card, that will be up to the owner...which is a mutual hobby friend. I can tell you it is listed in Orlando's top 200 list.

You know the drill , it was sent to validate the condition and check for any posible alteration(s) that may have slipped by. It was a typical inspection to relieve worries and doubts. Sometimes I am the bearer of bad news...or it may be good, depending on how the collector views it.

This card was only posted because IMO most collectors, even at the highest level, have probably not seen one before. As a top grader once told me, I'd be lucky to see a handful since they are usually done by skilled card doctors and are difficult to detect. This is the 4th I've seen...in a holder.


Not sure Dave, it was sent already slabbed with no known history.

Kevin

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Posted By: D. C. Markel

Obviously restored corners in a graded holder is not a good thing, but at least this is detectable and PSA has a buy-back policy.

I believe a much bigger problem that appears to be rampant, especially on NM vintage cards, is the minor mechanical working of corners. Basically, if a corner gets a small ding without any paper lose, or a small corner crease, the damage can be "fixed" and card be graded from typically NM to NM-MT. From what I've been told by some extremely trusted people in the hobby is that one major auction house and fair number of eBay dealers make a practice of this routinely. The most bizarre thing to me is that some, but not many, collectors I know have been warned of this and don't seem to be bothered by it.

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

Thank you...on that note:

I might also add that this very same card had a corner pressed to smooth out a bend. Since somehow this has now been deemed acceptable by (insert a hobby power-house name here) it was not mentioned.

Typically this is very easy to identify because the corner in question will be either pinched together or be tapered flat on one side or the other. For obvious reasons this usually is seen on corners with a very faint bend/ding line. It is not uncommon by any means and can, at times, be linked (in one way or another) to some of the larger auction houses.

side note: Trimmed cards often have corner pinch points as well. Pressed corners look much different than a card that has been trimmed, since pressing does not affect the natual tone.


Kevin Saucier

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Very informative Kevin!!

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Posted By: D. C. Markel

Kevin Saucier wrote:

"I might also add that this very same card had a corner pressed to smooth out a bend. Since somehow this has now been deemed acceptable by (insert a hobby power-house name here) it was not mentioned"

Is this "hobby power-house" is a collector and not a seller?

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

I was being sarcastic in referring to various grading companies and auction houses stating that pressing down a corner is perfectly fine...when previously it was taboo.

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Posted By: D. C. Markel

Thanks for clarifying and I am glad to hear that there is still some indignation left in this hobby towards altering and restoration.

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Posted By: WP

Kevin any chance you can show the entire card?

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

Just something quick to add. Here are a couple cards that have been prepped to have a corner rebuilt. Each are in the incipient stage:

This card has had a perfect corner added and joined, it is just waiting to have the joint line filled...then some more doctoring to finish the job. When completed the end will look normal but the filled line will show as being altered...but it will be difficult to tell if done well.



Another way to rebuild a corner is to notch and bevel a corner and completely rebuilt that corner with matching new stock...plus some more very advanced doctoring steps. A halogen light and black light will show the adhesive mixture added to the raw stock mixture.





Kevin Saucier

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Posted By: leon

I should mention that there are a lot of us, myself included, that think flipping a corner down is harmless while adding a corner is fraudulent. I get so tired of all the bad mouthing on here it makes me sick.
Everything Doug Allen ever said about things they might do to a card to "prepare" it was what Dave Forman called first level alteration (alteration no doubt) but probably not detectable and not like the 2nd and 3rd levels either. Not sure why Mastro always gets the short end of the stick. Maybe folks attack the biggest? If they made mistakes I am not taking up for them but overall they are a damn fine company and I am always proud to associate with them. If any of us sold 10,000 or more items a yr there would no doubt be some issues. It's how we handle them that makes the difference. I do quite a few transactions and have issues come up too. I always handle them satisfactorily just as Mastro does. I have no idea about the memorabilia stuff but I am sure if there is a legitimate issue it will be handled like they always do/have.....to the customers satisfaction....take care

ps....Kevin- thanks for showing that stuff...it's very helpful and I/we appreciate it