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JulieI think you're LOOKING at the best book on trimmed and altered cards, and fakes. It's the Forum. Also, try www.cycleback.com, David Rudd (Hankron's) website. Personally, I see no reason to buy between-the wars (after ww1) cards in any altered condition, except perhaps for the rarer ones, like GC Millers--and even those you CAN find whole and unaltered. Pre WW1, too, for the more common sets, you can usually find them unaltered--ALL THIS IS AT A REASONABLE PRICE, in lower grades. But--for instance, the Texas Tommy I posted in another thread (trimmed and creased, and still $250 10 years ago), Breich-Williams 1903, some of the rarer E cards, Alleghenys 1904, --you take them as you find them. 19th century: a surprising number of 19th centurey cards have NOT been trimmed or altered, but here again, rebacked Old Judges, Mayos with touched-up backs, etc. are still fairly desirable, and much cheaper.
I noticed an interesting difference in your post between less desirable coins and cards: there's nothing wrong with cleaning a baseball card--if you can do it without damaging it! I suppose the patina on a coin is not to be removed. You don't bleach cards, but if it seems worth the risk, there's nothing wrong with taking a dry or even damp cloth to one. Ereasing of pencil marks (I have a '35 Goudey Ruth, McManus, etc. GD, which had a deep "1934" on the back in pencil which I removed--you can still see the dent though)is also O.K. But either cleaning or removal of marks can be very dangerous, especially with pre WW1 and 19th century cards. Bad experience has taught me that if it's dirty--there's usually a good reason for it, and let well enough alone.
Really interesting about the coin cleaning--didn't realize coins were like Shang dynasty bronzes.