How to inspect with a black light - examples shown

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Posted By: Kevin Saucier

For the black light inspection, make sure you are in a dark environment. Hold the card a few inches from the light and look at it from various angles. Look for unusual luminance. Here are some examples of how some "suspected" altered cards (my opinion) appear under a black light:






This card has been shown before and has rebuilt corners. The black light picked up on the adhesive compound used in the added stock. Note the bright color of the corners.






The card above looked very normal during the in-depth inspection under a halogen and loupe. When held under a black light the back of the card showed an unusual color, with a light circular pattern in the middle surrounded by normal toned edges. It is suspected that this card was once removed or soaked from a scrapbook and the remaining invisible adhesive lights up under the black light. These pictures show the various angles of an inspection.





This card on the right looked unusually white. A detailed inspection showed no dirt or tone in any part, chip or crevasse of the card. Vintage cards removed from packs have more tone. This is a key indicator that it has been bleached or chemically cleaned. A quick look under a black light showed that the card had more than likely been bleached. Look at how bright it is next to another card of the same issue, with the same grade. Yes...it is slabbed!





Kevin Saucier