The Card Altering Services Saga Continues

steve B · #1 06-13-2023, 09:44 AM

Lots to get into here.

The idea that many of our collectibles have an expiration date of sorts is very accurate. Anything printed on wood fiber based paper will eventually become too brittle to handle from the acid breaking down the fibers.

There are already "standards" for paper conservation. Followed by most conservators and archives.

A few of our cards may be doomed altogether. Many of my Collectors edge cards have already yellowed noticeably, and they're "only" 30 years old. (Damn I'm getting old)

Taking a stance based on what's done in other hobbies might be good. None will really work in all cases.

Paintings are an interesting example. The valuable ones are often cleaned and a professional has a lengthy process, removing old varnish and accumulated filth, carefully painting in areas where the original paint has been lost, and revarnishing with one that won't yellow - or won't yellow as quickly.
What's rarely mentioned is that the professional does all those things with methods that don't cause further damage, and with materials that can be removed. So the restoration is entirely reversible.

Most silver coins you see that are shiny have been cleaned, not with abrasives like a pencil eraser or toothpaste..., but with a fluid tarnish remover. A couple things some may find interesting
The tarnish can be partly removed is it's really bad. This takes some skill and attention. It may also in extreme cases be difficult to fully remove. (I did it a few times for a dealer whose shop I hung out at, in trade for stamps and coins. I also did a couple of my own, one rare but so covered in crud you almost couldn't tell. It only came back to an average level of tarnish, and since it only is G-VG or so, would be inpropper to go further. )

Many of the wonderfuly "toned" (creatively tarnished) silver coins were never that way until recently. Putting a cleaned coin in the right envelope maybe with some of the right chemicals generates a beautiful rainbow tarnish that's considered very desirable. from the time I started collecting coins as a kid until the 90's when I sort of stopped I saw maybe two coins with that toning.
Now they're somewhat common.

I think we all draw the line at different places, I'm ok with light surface cleaning, and would be ok with deacidification on most cards from roughly the 1920's to 1991.
Removing creases? No. I'm sure it can be done, and perhaps done permanently. But it's just going too far. I very much doubt that surface wrinkles and creases can be caused by humidity changes. Out of tens of thousands of cards I have between the 1880's and last year, subject to regualr seasonal humidity changes, you'd think at least one would have had that happen. Nope.

Pushing a corner back down?
Not sure what is meant.
A completely bent corner getting flattened a bit? Ok, if it creased, it should be detectable anyway.
Using a roller to hide that it ever happened? No.

Same for a corner where it's become layered and one layer has gotten folded over.

But as we've seen, PSA themselves will just fold it back and reslab... leaving it with even a high grade. Not something I agree with in any way.

I really don't like hearing people day it's ok or that nobody cares anymore and we should all just get on the altering bandwagon.

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