[bmcnutt]

I am not big into sending cards to PSA, SGC, or any other card grader just to have a card graded. I feel "card grading" has somewhat ruined the market for collectors because so many cards are over priced, while I feel "car authentication" is great for the hobby due to the number of scumbags trying to ruin the greatest hobby on earth by infesting it with fakes and altered products. And anyone or any company that supports those scumbags are just as bad.

I recently purchased a 1909 E95 Philadelphia Caramel Frank Chance in the photo from a card shop in Bristol, Virginia. I tried to upload an image, but the site would not let me. It was obvious from the feel of the card, the looks, and of course.....the smell, the card is authentic. Since I have a rule that any tobacco or Pre-WW2 cards I buy online have to be authenticated by PSA or SGC, I decided I would at least get this card authenticated to keep everything uniformed. I figured, by the looks of the card, it would be graded at best a PR 1. But when I saw that it was graded "Authentic Altered", I was extremely shocked. I asked PSA multiple times to explain to me what was "altered", but they could not.

With all of the negative publicity that PSA is receiving in regards to grading trimmed cards, they need to start addressing what aspects brought them to the decision a card has been "altered". I lost all confidence in PSA. If you are going to accuse a collector or "altering" a card, but you are going to assist the scumbags on how to "trim" a card for a better grade, then you need to explain your finding to the collector as well.

I have no clue how to "alter" a card or even trim a card.