Posted By:
hankronTRIMMED means one or more edge of the card has been cut (by scissors, razor blade, other). In some cases the trimming is obvious-- an edge hacked at a goofy angle. In some cases the trimming is hard to detect. In some cases trimming is intentional in order to artificially raise the grade. Trimming damages and, thus, lowers the card's value-- which is why trimming should always be disclosed.
The much rarer SKINNED card is where the face layer of the card has been ripped from the rest of the card-- like pulling the skin from from a baked chicken. That Old Judge Ward you bid on was skinned, with the photograhic print pulled from the heavier cardboard backing. Most skinned cards are photographic cards like the Old Judges, though some mechanically printed cards like the T206s or T205s can be found skinned.
Unlike some trimming, there's rarely subtlty about a skinned card-- most of the card is missing! Though when a rare blank backed T206 appears in auction, there will be wondering if the card is really blank back or skinned.
Skinning makes a card grade Poor or worse. However, with rare and/or desirable cards, like that N172 Ward, the skin can still have some value.