Based on all of the evidence that has been presented here, I am persuaded that there is somebody cleaning cards with something other than bleach or another substance that would be detectable to SGC. Call it "super water" or what have you. That would certainly cause a bump in grade. A card does not have long to travel from a 6.5 to an 8.5. It's not like turning a 1 to a 3, or even a 3 to a 5. One of the reasons I don't care much for high grade cards is that once you've given me a 7, or even a 6, I'm pretty content that I'm holding a card that is, for me, mint (or at least mint enough).
My problems with the Gehrig trim theory are thus:
1. I do not think SGC would miss a trim that it is suggested here would have affected two or more of the borders, let alone on such a high dollar card. Nor do I believe SGC is involved in a conspiracy to overlook such a trim, particularly on such a high dollar card that is likely to draw some attention. So, I approach the accusation of this trim from a very suspicious perspective to begin with. If it was PSA, I would be more willing to buy into such ignorance or worse.
2. The SGC insert fits more snug than the PSA insert. While I appreciate that SGC has the ability to customize its inserts, my understanding is that they would not purposely make a smaller one here and, at the same time, miss a double-sided+ trim.
3. The side-by-side flashing scans are very persuasive until you realize that distortion is possible with just a slight difference in size. On the two back scans of the same card I posted above, one was 100% and the other was just 102% in my MSPaint Program. Also, it seems like all 4 corners get sharper in the move to the SGC holder - were 3+ borders trimmed? Finally, if a bottom and a side look more trimmed in one image than another, that can be explained by a smaller scan being dropped on top of a larger scan, where both are lined up at the top left corner.
Having said all of this, could I be persuaded that SGC got tricked on this one? Yes, I guess so. But I do not think the side-by-side scans get me there.
|