Opinions on back damage of cards
 

I recently posted about a recent find. At the time, we had not yet finalized the deal. Now that they belong to me, I need to decide the best route to go. Most of the M116's are mounted on a piece of cardboard. I'm guessing that they were at some point put on a poster and put on the wall. Someone along the way cut the poster board down to card size (and for the most part did not nick any of the cards - except of course the Matty ugh). I can either leave them attached to the piece of posterboard or remove the poster board which removes about 20% of the back. I believe it is newer glue that was used on these. It seems quite firm. I did try to soak one and it didn't go well. I may have tried to remove the backing too early. I assume with the backing removed and the paper loss on the back, they will grade out as A or 1's. The cards are between 2's and 5's otherwise - with the Cobb being the nicest one. I've seen older grades with as mush paper loss and they were given a numerical grade. Not sure about the current grading (I would likely send to SGC). I've included pics of the Cobb front, the Cobb back (with poster board backing) and the one back where I removed the posted board piece. Looking for opinions on whether or not to remove the cardboard. Kind of assuming that I would need to to get it graded/encapsulated.

That should get a 1 or 1.5

With that much loss on the back, the best grade you should expect would be a 1.5.

1 IMO is the best possible grade. Still better than stuck to the cardboard.

Talk to a professional paper conservator about the better cards. Get a quote from them. It's obviously worth paying their sometimes steep fees if they can get the job done. That Cobb is too gorgeous to be messing with yourself.

BTW, I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, but we have friends in common and know you've been in the hobby a good while!

ETA: Missed the part about the newer glue, but still, please talk to a professional just in case. I'm sure the estimate will be free, so nothing to lose and perhaps a great deal to gain!

Thanks for the responses. And hope to meet you sometime down the line Billy.

Had you soaked cards previously?

Next time there's a batch that you're thinking of soaking, pick out the least valuable of the bunch; and then soak that one. It's soaking, not moistening. If it's a card that will soak, like T206 or M116, let the card soak overnight, change water. Then change the water and soak a while longer.

If the card was attached to that backing with flour paste, it would have soaked off cleanly. If it was attached with a more modern polar glue, then it won't. I'm sorry that that back damage occurred; it was either a non-water soluble glue, or it wasn't soaked anywhere near long enough.

I agree. With something like this, contact a paper conservation expert and they’ll tell you if it’s early 20th century water-soluble glue or not.

With these cards, not worth it to take chances, though many on this Forum have.

At the very least, spend the money on the major HOFers….

Scott

PS I recently had scrapbook material professionally removed from a card by a professional paper conservation expert in NYC and it was the best $150 I’ve spent in a while!

Wow, $150 is really not that bad! I think you found an affordable person in the field. I'm sure any one of us would happily dole out $150 to save a potential PSA 5 Cobb from turning into a 1!

Frank,

He did say it was newer glue. Don't blame yourself for missing that, as I missed it myself the first time I read it. (And he didn't soak the Cobb, but rather a common.)

Big facts.