Random mini-rant

[Eric72]

I've been chasing down some post-war (1952 through 1980 Topps) cards on eBay lately. To save time, I have only scrutinized images of graded cards, While doing this, I have seen an alarming number of obviously trimmed cards which reside in PSA holders.

It got me thinking...I can't be the only one who can see this. The trimming scandal has been discussed at length on various websites. However, these cards seem to be selling at a brisk pace.

The point of my rant is this:

I'd like your opinion. What percentage of collectors do you feel either don't know or don't care that this is a widespread problem? With the recent influx of new "investors" into the hobby, I'm thinking this percentage is very high.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I've been chasing down some post-war (1952 through 1980 Topps) cards on eBay lately. To save time, I have only scrutinized images of graded cards, While doing this, I have seen an alarming number of obviously trimmed cards which reside in PSA holders.

It got me thinking...I can't be the only one who can see this. The trimming scandal has been discussed at length on various websites. However, these cards seem to be selling at a brisk pace.

The point of my rant is this:

I'd like your opinion. What percentage of collectors do you feel either don't know or don't care that this is a widespread problem? With the recent influx of new "investors" into the hobby, I'm thinking this percentage is very high.

It has been a few years ago but there was a thread on here asking the question about altered cards in PSA slabs. I was amazed at how many said they didn't care about the card and the flip was the most important part. In my opinion the very few collectors in the hobby seem to care the most. The dealers and flippers do not care at all.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I've been chasing down some post-war (1952 through 1980 Topps) cards on eBay lately. To save time, I have only scrutinized images of graded cards, While doing this, I have seen an alarming number of obviously trimmed cards which reside in PSA holders.

It got me thinking...I can't be the only one who can see this. The trimming scandal has been discussed at length on various websites. However, these cards seem to be selling at a brisk pace.

The point of my rant is this:

I'd like your opinion. What percentage of collectors do you feel either don't know or don't care that this is a widespread problem? With the recent influx of new "investors" into the hobby, I'm thinking this percentage is very high.

I only care if the card, even though clearly altered received a numerical grade. I'm not opposed to buying altered or trimmed cards as long as they look good and receive the appropriate designation of an "A". I do think the influx of "investors" are bad for the hobby. They're not looking at it from a collecting perspective they just want to flip and make money. Which I can't blame them for, but it drives up prices of cards that I want to collect.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Seven

I only care if the card, even though clearly altered received a numerical grade. I'm not opposed to buying altered or trimmed cards as long as they look good and receive the appropriate grade. I do think the influx of "investors" are bad for the hobby. They're not looking at it from a collecting perspective they just want to flip and make money. Which I can't blame them for, but it drives up prices of cards that I want to collect.

Wait, am I reading this correctly? If a card is clearly altered, yet received a numerical grade, you're OK with buying it?

You mean buying it at the price of an "A" and not the numerical grade, right?

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Wait, am I reading this correctly? If a card is clearly altered, yet received a numerical grade, you're OK with buying it?

You mean buying it at the price of an "A" and not the numerical grade, right?

No I apologize if I worded that poorly. I meant I don't mind buying an altered card as long as it's designated as such. So if it came back from PSA with the "Authentic Altered" Grade. Because a lot of times you can get a good looking card that received this designation for cheaper

[JollyElm]

Your point is dead on, and it is seemingly rampant. Unfortunately, there's no real solution to your concern. Whenever someone brings up trimming, the result will usually be someone angrily stating how there was always variance in the sizes of Topps cards, etc., etc., so who is anyone to say a card has been trimmed??!!

All anyone can do, again unfortunately, is watch out for oneself. Make sure anything you buy fits pretty/relatively/decently snugly in that holder. Like many, many others, I have passed on countless PSA cards on ebay that were swimming in the slabs. Were they trimmed? An objective person would say there's probably a better chance they were than they weren't, but even though there is no way to actually know for sure, I am happy to pass on them and look for something else.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

...countless PSA cards on ebay that were swimming in the slabs...

I've noticed the same thing.

What gets me is the carelessness with which many of them have been trimmed - combined with - the fact that PSA gave them a numerical grade. How could a "professional" grader miss some of these?