And I am not talking about the "ethical" arguments about whether soaking is evil and not to be condoned.
Below I am showing two cards. Both are currently in cases. Both are graded 2.5. Both have backs that have discolorations that may or may not benefit from a soak. In my experience cracking cases has minimal risk and the downside of an unsuccessful soak is also minimal.
Card A
Mr. Lentz technically looks like a better card in terms of corners, centering and defects. The light brown residue on the reverse is in a pattern and of a color that suggests water soluble glue. Was the card downgraded for this reason?
Would you crack the case and soak it?
Card B
Mr. Cobb is not quite as good a card technically but a half grade bump would be worth more than a 2 grade bump on Mr. Lentz. There are two spots on the reverse that are similar to Mr. Lentz, but they are better defined at the margins and could be tape residue, which is less susceptible to soaking. There is also residue from parallel lines from the adhesive in a photo album which I believe suggests a more modern adhesive. Would you crack this one and soak it?
This is not a quiz and there is no correct answer. There are no after pictures
yet. One card is mine and one is not, but the possibility of soaking both exists.
If the cards are soaked and possibly regraded, post soaking scans will be shown in this thread. The soaking is not being considered for the purposes of resale. Both owners intend to keep the cards in their collections.
Let's try to focus on the cards and the possible results, but if this thread gets diverted in another direction, so be it. Thanks for you thoughts and input.