What Makes A Hand Cut Strip Card "Trimmed"?

[Buythatcard]

This has been something that has been on my mind for awhile. Since most strip cards are hand cut, how can a strip card be classified as trimmed? I am sure many of the cards were originally cut uneven by hand which would give it the trimmed look today.

[teetwoohsix]

I'm just curious-did you submit a handcut stripcard for grading,and it came back as "authentic" with the reason being it was trimmed?

[Buythatcard]

I haven't submitted any yet. I do have a few that I was thinking of sending in.

[Abravefan11]

I think a strip card may get the "Trimmed" designation if there is evidence that it has been trimmed recently.

Edited to add:

Grading strip and hand cut cards is very subjective. It seems if the cards were cut neatly and the borders (if there were any) were preserved the card will grade. If the integrity of the cards image was compromised by how it was cut it will receive an Authentic grade.

I personally feel all hand cut cards should receive a grade of Authentic.

[teetwoohsix]

I think Tim's right on that Howard..it seems to make the most sense.

[smtjoy]

On the hand cut cards I have submitted, the full card must be there to get a number grade. If the card measures short, is missing any part of a border or in any way is not the full card it will only grade an Auth.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by smtjoy

On the hand cut cards I have submitted, the full card must be there to get a number grade. If the card measures short, is missing any part of a border or in any way is not the full card it will only grade an Auth.

So if the full border (dotted line sometimes) needs to be there, does that mean that only every other card in a strip can get a number grade?

I don't believe that graders can tell "when" something was cut, so I don't know how "recently" comes into play.


I think they should all get an "A".

[glynparson]

You can tell how recently a card was cut. Unless its a really thin issue this is much harder to tell sometimes when the trimming took place. Ther is a measure of toning and opening of pores of cardboard on the edge when viewed upon magnification on an older trimmed card. For strip cards to grade you can usually bisect the line and still get number grades on both. I usually wouldn't recommend this as you have to be very precise or you might end up with two A cards.

[JamesGallo]

I have graded a good number of strip cards with SGC and it seems 99% of the time you have to show at least some dotted line on both sides. I recently got back a card that was only labeled authentic which I couldn't believe as it has very large boarders. Anyway know in the W519 strips had dotted lines?

James G

[D. Broughman]

After reading everone's post I would think all I could get is an authentic on this card of Ty Cobb. What would be the advantage of getting it graded? Would the grading company be the only one to benifit? Would it make enough difference to make up for the cost of grading? I think if they had a rating system just for strip cards knowing they are cut as they are it would make more sense. Would like to hear your thoughts on a knew grading system on strop cards. Thanks! D.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by D. Broughman

After reading everone's post I would think all I could get is an authentic on this card of Ty Cobb. What would be the advantage of getting it graded? Would the grading company be the only one to benifit? Would it make enough difference to make up for the cost of grading?

Depends on your plans for it. If you want to sell it on Ebay a slab will definitely help you move it to reprint-wary collectors, esp. if you don't have much experience as a seller. If for your own collection, I'd not bother since all it will add is weight and bulk to storage. If you like the way it looks in a slab, then it is like framing. I often send SGC cards that I have no intention of selling just to have them "framed" and labeled nicely. Like this one: