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T206Collector...expectations that their cardboard has never been soaked in water and pressed flat with no visible, smellable or tastable evidence of that practice can go on living that dream. The rest of us are just happy that the card looks, smells and tastes the way it does today, regardless of its 100 year history.
Like I said above, alteration means altering the card itself. Restoration means putting new material into holes in the card. Removing scrapbook, glue and dirt with water is neither altering the card or restoring the card. Erasing pencil marks without disturbing the fabric and fiber of the cardboard is also a good idea. It takes a mark added after the factory and removes it without hurting the factory condition.
I feel very differently about using chemicals which, though not visible, stay with the card. I have two Polar Bear T206 cards without any tobacco staining that have snow white borders. SGC will not grade them because they believe that they have been chemically soaked. And I get that. SGC will, however, grade cards that have been soaked only in water. That is also the line that I draw. And yes, cards with wrinkles look better after a good soaking and pressing. But that's the same story even without the water:
HOW MANY OF YOU PUT CARDS IN SCREW DOWN HOLDERS? THIS KEEPS CARDS FROM GETTING WARPED AND WORN AS THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE NOT IN SCREW DOWN HOLDERS. IF YOU TAKE A WARPED CARD AND PRESS IT WITHOUT WATER OR ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN A STACK OF BOOKS, IS THAT ALSO ALTERING THE CARD?
The semantics of this discussion are really something else. But very interesting.
Finally, where were all you nay-sayers when I was posting thread after thread of my experiences removing gunk from the backs of T206 cards with water soaking/pressing? Are you all new to the vintage card hobby, or just this Board?