Posted By:
Fred CThis subject is probably one that irritates me more than just about anything in this hobby. I don't understand how hand cut cards can be given anything but an AUT designation. The cards can be cut at ANY time which means that any card with generous borders can be trimmed down and thus have razor sharp edges and corners which lead to higher grades. What would happen if a regular issue card had generous borders and someone trimmed them down? People would be outraged. Something else along the same lines is the removal of a COUPON or premium from the card means the card has been ALTERED. How the heck can any grading company provide it with a numerical grade? The card would have gone through a radical change from it's original distributed state. If the grading companies had any common sense they'd STOP just providing numerical grades to hand cut cards. The hobby would just have to deal with the exisiting cards and accept them for what they are - hand cut cards. The value would lie in the aesthetic appeal of the card. If the card was niecely trimmed then let the buyer/seller figure out a price on the card. Lets say a POST cereal card had a 1/4" border that was a little ragged (graded a 4) and put it up against the same card with a 1/8" border (graded a 7). Someone could trim down the extra 1/8" and have a card that is just as nice.