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Posted By: J Levine

First off...I held the Gretzky Wagner at least three seperate times in my own hands. One of those times it was just prior to a friend of mine holding a t206 up behind it and being able to see the border. Yes, I believe it is trimmed. Do I know who did it? NO. Am I 100% certain it was altered? NO but I from my own experience and my listening to trusted hobby specialists, I tend to lean that way. That being said, Yes, I, Joshua Levine have erased marks on cards, glued cards back together, taped cards back together, soaked cards, etc. All those cards reside in my personal collection and I do feel that if the appereance of a card can be improved with the simple act of removing a pencil mark or soaking a piece of paper off it, I see nothing wrong with it. I think people should let people know a card was altered before they sell and many reputable dealers do but this is a buyer beware country.

On to the other side of the coin...I have also damaged cards on purpose. I sat with a friend at dinner on saturday night after the national and watched him take a really nice '56 football checklist that had nearly all the boxes marked very neatly in pen and helped him fill in the last few unchecked boxes. Should I "come clean" and tell people I altered the card? I one cut an oversize t206 down to fit into my binder. As a kid, I tore a Steve Garvey RC in half on a dare and taped it back together. I later sold the card to another friend. Should I have come clean and told him I was the one who ripped it.

Do we ask where all the creases come from. How many people on ebay sell altered vintage cards? 100%. No vintage card is unaltered. They have lived and existed in the real world. They were loved or loathed. Thrown for leaners, put in spokes, shirtpockets, and wallets. They were saved lovingly in an album or thrown in an old box. Many were glued, pasted, mounted, tacked, nailed, stapled, or framed.

I think you should focus more on your love of cards and less on who does what to the cards. If I like the card at the price it is being sold for, I buy it. If it is too expensive because the card was remounted, soaked, trimmed, etc. I do not buy it. Buy from people you trust or know. Gain knowledge and you will be protected.

My two cents.

Joshua