Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>MikeU</b><p>"If alterations were so acceptable by the hobby at large, then I do not believe it would be a big deal to list the work done in the auction descriptions. If alterations were so acceptable, I do not believe there would be statutes mandating disclosure"<br /><br />Wesley, <br /><br />I think the general thought of vintage collectors is soaking cards to remove scrapbook pieces and erasing lead/pen is not altering a card. <br /><br />I think the same people that do not have a problem with soaking and erasing (myself included) will have significant issues with true alterations e.g. adding material, coloring and trimming. <br /><br />The one item that I would like to see a poll on is soaking and pressing out creases acceptable. This falls between the soaking/erasing and the outright trimming, coloring and adding material.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Wes, there's no question that alterations do change the value of the card, and alteration that changes the value should be disclosed at sale and, in most cases, legally must.<br /><br />Almost all cards I've seen first hand in albums were low grade, and it's unlikely a bidder would raise or lower their bid when finding out that the stained, creased grade poor trade card was removed from an album. Whenever a collector sees for sale a low grade card with "glue and scrap paper remnants on back," he should be able to figure out the card came from an album.<br /><br />I haven't done a survey, but my guess is that the vast majority of trading cards removed from old albums grade Good to Poor, with probably more closer to Poor than Good. If you've ever seen an album with T206s or Allen & Ginters good enough to be auctioned by Mastro, you will see that many to most of the cards are in rough shape. And it wasn't uncommon for a Victorian kid to trim the cards, either to fit on the album page or for aesthetic reasons.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>My opinion is that it's downright silly to say if in 1955 a kid pasted a T206 into the pages of his book, it's wrong to remove the card. The book and the T206 aren't original together-- they have nothing to do with each other than a stupid kid glue them together. The crime, if there is one, is the kid pasting the card into the book not removing the card from the book. Removing the card is bringing the card back, or closer, to its original state.<br /><br />The Darby boxes were found nailed to the walls of a barn. I suppose some would have us pray for the soul of he who dared remove those nails and take down those cards. Apparently he should have only sold a Darby box while still affixed to a barn wall.<br /><br />In my opinion, the idea that a kid's paste slopped on the back of a card is an original part of the card is strange.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>Brian Weisner</b><p><br /> Hi David,<br /> I think most of the Darby's were nailed to a garage here in NC, Durham to be exact, but I agree with your meaning. Be well Brian<br /><br /><br />PS I bet it's raining more here in NC than in Seattle

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>"The Darby box is in it's natural habitat, nailed to a garage in North Carolina" or "The rare Darby box is shown here in pristine condition, with the original garage still attached" sound like lines from a Monty Python skit.<br /><br />Sunny in Seattle.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>James Gallo</b><p>1. Yes<br /><br />2. Haven't decided yet <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br /><br />James Gallo<br><br>Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>Joann</b><p>I think the most interesting thing about this poll was how few people split their votes with yes to one but no to the other. Rather than depending on the actual action taken, it seems that overall the whole topic is a matter of philosophical viewpoint.<br /><br />Joann

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>Wesley,<br /><br />The PSA folks might be overwhelmingly against soaking. But I think that it is likely that at least a third (or maybe more) of the PSA T206s have been soaked, maybe not by the guy who sent them in to grade, but at some point in time. Those cards have been through at least 3 or 4 collectors, and most likely dozens... Those collectors wouldn't have nearly as much to collect if it were not for soaking. They might be against it, but tens of thousands of cards would still be on album pages without it. <br /><br />

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>John</b><p>It’s the discloser more than anything that bothers me not the soaking. I think they should be removed, and not wasted, as long as its disclosed, and their values reflected that they were removed, pressed, soaked what ever.<br /><br />But the sad thing is you I and the lamp post know that very very few people are going to bring any action such as soaking up. In fact several collectors here already said they would not mention it at time of sale. <br /><br />Sort of a hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil mindset.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>I think I've come up with a fair compromise. The new hobby rule is: You are allowed to remove stuff from cards, but anything you remove you have to eat. For example, if you are willing to eat an entire Victorian scrap album, soak away.

Informal Poll- Soaking and erasing of cards
 

Posted By: <b>Al C.risafulli</b><p>Oh, that's nasty.<br /><br />-Al