Opinions on back damage of cards

[rand1com]

1 IMO is the best possible grade. Still better than stuck to the cardboard.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Talk to a professional paper conservator about the better cards. Get a quote from them. It's obviously worth paying their sometimes steep fees if they can get the job done. That Cobb is too gorgeous to be messing with yourself.

BTW, I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, but we have friends in common and know you've been in the hobby a good while!

ETA: Missed the part about the newer glue, but still, please talk to a professional just in case. I'm sure the estimate will be free, so nothing to lose and perhaps a great deal to gain!

[loubrown]

Thanks for the responses. And hope to meet you sometime down the line Billy.

[FrankWakefield]

Had you soaked cards previously?

Next time there's a batch that you're thinking of soaking, pick out the least valuable of the bunch; and then soak that one. It's soaking, not moistening. If it's a card that will soak, like T206 or M116, let the card soak overnight, change water. Then change the water and soak a while longer.

If the card was attached to that backing with flour paste, it would have soaked off cleanly. If it was attached with a more modern polar glue, then it won't. I'm sorry that that back damage occurred; it was either a non-water soluble glue, or it wasn't soaked anywhere near long enough.

[Scocs]

I agree. With something like this, contact a paper conservation expert and they’ll tell you if it’s early 20th century water-soluble glue or not.

With these cards, not worth it to take chances, though many on this Forum have.

At the very least, spend the money on the major HOFers….

Scott

PS I recently had scrapbook material professionally removed from a card by a professional paper conservation expert in NYC and it was the best $150 I’ve spent in a while!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Scocs

PS I recently had scrapbook material professionally removed from a card by a professional paper conservation expert in NYC and it was the best $150 I’ve spent in a while!

Wow, $150 is really not that bad! I think you found an affordable person in the field. I'm sure any one of us would happily dole out $150 to save a potential PSA 5 Cobb from turning into a 1!

[Scocs]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Wow, $150 is really not that bad! I think you found an affordable person in the field. I'm sure any one of us would happily dole out $150 to save a potential PSA 5 Cobb from turning into a 1!

Big facts.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

Had you soaked cards previously?

Next time there's a batch that you're thinking of soaking, pick out the least valuable of the bunch; and then soak that one. It's soaking, not moistening. If it's a card that will soak, like T206 or M116, let the card soak overnight, change water. Then change the water and soak a while longer.

If the card was attached to that backing with flour paste, it would have soaked off cleanly. If it was attached with a more modern polar glue, then it won't. I'm sorry that that back damage occurred; it was either a non-water soluble glue, or it wasn't soaked anywhere near long enough.

Frank,

He did say it was newer glue. Don't blame yourself for missing that, as I missed it myself the first time I read it. (And he didn't soak the Cobb, but rather a common.)