Posted By:
Kevin Saucier<"What we will never know is if the card was cut (or re-cut) two weeks ago or 100 years ago.">
A fresh hand-cut will be very recognizable by looking at the toning on the card edge(s). It will reveal a very distinctive new cardboard look. This may not always be noticeable with the naked eye but is crystal clear under a halogen light.
Vintage hand-cut cards, although looking trimmed, will have this tone as it is a natural part of aging process.
A halogen light in this hobby is a necessity and should be as important as, let's say, a top-loader.
As an example the card below shows a half trimmed edge. Hopefully you can see the fresh white cardboard cut on the left as it compares to the natural tone on the right side.
Hope this helps!
Kevin Saucier