Trimmed card question

[brett 75]

I recently purchased some vintage cards from an auction house knowing full well they were advertised as trimmed. They arrived and looked up the sizes for each card in the Standard Catalog. All the cards actually measured out the correct size . rechecked carefully both ways top to bottom . The question is can a card be trimmed yet still be the correct size ? I could understand if it was 1/16th short making it look trimmed but one actually appeared to be 1/16th larger.? Any input on this one would be appreciated! thanks , Brett

[vintagetoppsguy]

The question is can a card be trimmed yet still be the correct size?

Yes, I have a '76 Aaron that was oversized (too wide) and the left border had a wavy cut from the factory. I trimmed the card down to eliminate the wavy border thus also reducing it to it's normal size/width.

It's part of my PC in my '76 Topps set so it really doesn't bother me to have a trimmed card. It looks a lot better now rather than having the wavy border.

[ls7plus]

Yes, a card most definitively can be trimmed, yet measure full-size. In my area, when PSA was just getting started, there was one dealer who specialized in turning off-grade '50's and '60's cards into near mint/mint. From what I later read, the cards would be put through a paper press, slightly expanding their size, then carefully trimmed back down to size, removing worn corners and/or edges in the process. When grading took hold, the grading services pretty much eliminated this tactic.

The key is to use a loupe (I have a 16x loupe) or high-powered magnifying glass to examine the edges. If the edges display a rough cut, the card is most likely virgin and untouched. If they are wire sharp, however, the card will be rejected by the grading services as trimmed, despite the fact that they meet the standard size. Also, if the edges appear rough but seem to be pinched at the corners, the card will be rejected. I learned the hard way, by submitting what appeared to be true NMt/Mt cards to PSA, only to have them labeled trimmed.

Hopes this helps,

Larry

[vintagetoppsguy]

In my area, when PSA was just getting started, there was one dealer who specialized in turning off-grade '50's and '60's cards into near mint/mint. From what I later read, the cards would be put through a paper press, slightly expanding their size, then carefully trimmed back down to size, removing worn corners and/or edges in the process. When grading took hold, the grading services pretty much eliminated this tactic.

I've heard of card stretching before, but I didn't know how it was done. I was always under the impression that the card was soaked first to make it stretch easier.

[brett 75]

Thanks for the info. Trying to learn something and these forum seems to have some of the most informitive people around. Not planning on sending them for grading. These are for my PC . Used my loupe to check edges and now see what you mean about rough and smooth edges! Size really dosen't matter after all ! what exactly do you mean about pinched corners? Sorry for so many questions but if you don't ask ... Brett

[steve B]

It's possible to stretch just the corner, then trim to sharp. A bit more subtle than stretching the whole card. And the middle of the edge will be original.

But everything has its clues, and with just doing the corners they'll be thinner than the rest of the card.

What I wonder about are cards kept in one of the original hard holder types, pre screwdown, which was a folded piece of plexiglass. Those gripped the card at one end, so if only 2 corners are thinner and tapered It might actually be Ok, but still get rejected. I'd have to know much more about what the graders are trained to look for.

Steve B

[ls7plus]

My understanding is that Steve is absolutely right about just stretching the corners. Had the misfortune to buy a raw 1935 Diamond Stars Foxx at a Chicago area show in the early '90's, just before PSA was really getting its foothold in the hobby. The card appeared to be a solid near mint, and at the time I didn't know to check the edges. It was later rejected by both SGC and PSA as being trimmed, although it of course measured just fine. Close inspection with the loupe revealed just the aforesaid pinching at the top corners--otherwise the edges looked just like other Diamond Stars cards I had. A $400 lesson in what the card doctors will do (although I later did have PSA slab the card as "authentic--trimmed," because I collect Foxx, and it sure does look nice).

Hope these posts help.

Larry