Blue Border T205 cards
 

In my searches for just the right T205s I came across this one (thanks Scott) on ebay. I thought the borders were cool.....It has a clean PB back....

very cool!

likely oxygen/tobacco contamination caused oxidation of the gold "flake" causing it to turn blue or green.

I don't think so on this one. I think there is some oxidation but mostly it is blue bleed from the background.

I was definitely amused by my "new variation" when I acquired it. Was gonna start a blue-border set...

I like it, one of the nicer ones I can recall seeing.

This card will be available in our upcoming pre war auction. Very cool that it made its way back to me!

Kind of like the green bordered T205s you come across every so often as well. Very cool!

The greens are a result of two things, some are the gold oxidized, some are the green border being over-inked as I feel this blue one is. Underneath the majority of the t205's is a yellow print run and sometimes just white stock.

+1

In my experience with tobacco, especially T205's, when a card displays that oxidation look it is because they had heat applied to them. Whether it be from storage or heat from another source. The card could have easily been stored in a very warm place and over time the ink oxidized the gold boarder.

There is also abrasion to consider for the boarders. There is gold on the sides more prevalent just below the crease. If the card was creased and stored that way it is very possible that the boarders just rubbed away. Without holding it in hand its hard to say buy a picture is worth a thousand words. I do not support the saturation theory as much as abrasion just from the pics.

Alteration is last on the list. If this card was soaked in a hydrogen peroxide solution it would look exactly this way after several hours of exposure to the liquid. Then when the heat is applied during pressing it causes a reaction creating that oxidation bleeding look.

Again without having it in hand or seeing crystal clear images I can only speculate.

Can someone post a pics of the Front and back together? Would love to see what the back looks like.

F&B
 

Seeing the back again makes me think there was some kind of solution that made the front that way. I am far from sure though.
.

Here's my blue border Becker. Obviously chemically changed.

we had a "pink background" version of a card that was supposed to be yellow a few auctions ago even though we clearly stated that it was almost definitely some sort of chemical/bleed through situation the bidding went a little nuts.

https://thecollectorconnection.com/i...58_1_17687.jpg vs. https://thecollectorconnection.com/i...32_1_48472.jpg

Any chance that these cards came from the same collection, area, or collector? Could easily tie it together and prove a solution theory being the cause. Now that I have also seen the back I agree with Leon as well as the description I posted above for a solution being the culprit for bleedthrough.

Does the card have texture or is it smooth to touch?

even though they both passed through my hands they were years apart and different sources. The back of the Leever felt odd, but the front was OK as I recall. The Moriarty has a completely normal feel.

Apparently the good ole household “Magic Eraser” does this trick also. Maybe some wipe, rinse, repeat cycles.

Regardless the card looks cool and is authentic. Sometimes that’s all that matters to the bidders.