Breaking cards out of holders...

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Posted By: Ben

first off, I'd like to say that I'm new to the board,I am a novice collector of prewar baseball cards, and I look forward to discuss the little treasures of this great hobby with all of you.


That being said, I was screwed by SGC a few weeks back when I sent in my prized Walter Johnson portrait and it came back an SGC 20. I had the card at a conservative VG+... nice square corners, no creases, and a small tape stain on the back. It must have been the tape stain...

Anyways, I want to get the card out of this ugly holder...does anyone have any suggestions with regards to a safe way that this can be done?

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Posted By: runscott

I can understand you cracking out a card if you were slabbing it for re-sell and you think it could do better un-slabbed. But why send cards in to a company that you think has ugly holders? (though I disagree with you and think SGC's have the best visual appeal). Also, if you are going to the trouble of sending the cards off to a grading company, why didn't you visit their site first and get an idea of their grading parameters?

Also, the grading companies that get respect are also the toughest.

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Posted By: leon

First of all welcome aboard and glad to have you. It is a great hobby and I have thoroughly enjoyed (maybe addicted) it the last 5-6 years. Unfortunately, you have picked the one grading company that everyone on this board, that likes grading companies at all, is an advocate of. I will say that I do like the GAI holders and the SGC holders fairly equally. I still think SGC does the best job of grading, hands down. Like Scott said they are the toughest but that is a good thing. You know when you buy a card in an SGC holder 97 times out of 100 (this is a SWAG guess) you will not be disappointed with it being overgraded. I have no idea what the best way to crack a holder is but there will be some folks on the board that can help you. I would think pliers and screwdriver would be best, but not sure......since you know they grade fairly hard wouldn't you be more inclined to "buy" a card in their holder knowing it won't be overgraded? Once again, welcome to the board.....best regards

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Posted By: Ben

thanks for the responses... Well, this was my first attempt at getting a card graded. I chose SGC because I know that it has a great reputation- I don't doubt that even after receiving the low grade. I called the holder ugly because it is a 20 when I was hoping for a 50 or a 60. Oh well, live and learn, I didn't think a tape stain would affect the grade that drastically.

Nonetheless, I do think SGC has the nicest holders aesthetically. I don't intend to sell the Walter Johnson card, so I was thinking about cracking it out only because I don't agree with the low grade...

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Posted By: petecld

Ben,

Welcome to the board. SGC has the best looking holders in my opinion. I have a love/hate relationship with SGC. I love them because they are tough, but fair, consistent graders. Problem is I hate them for that same reason. Just kidding. What are you going to do?

Of all the cards I've ever submitted to SGC I've broken out only 2 because I thought the grade was way too low. Other cards with "low" grades were re-examined and I stubbornly admitted they were right. As the owner of a card you have a tendency to think the card is in better shape then someone else might. A tape stain WILL bring a grade down.

I have no trouble recommending SGC and as far as I'm concerned there are no alternatives if you collect vintage cards.

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Posted By: Albie O'Hanian

SGC cards are fairly easy to break out of holders. Use a flathead screwdriver and carefully try to separate the two parts of the holder on all four corners before lifting it off. While SGC may be the best company for grading pre-war cards I would be wary of cracking any cards from the 50's and 60's for re-grade. SGC 86's (before they implemented the 7.5 on the card) can be way off center and come back PSA 8 OC, PSA 7 OC or PSA 5 or 6 without qualifiers.

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Posted By: runscott

I frequently find myself in a quandry over whether or not to collect certain cards in SGC holders or not. For instance, if I find a great-looking card with a tape stain, pencil writing, or other minor signs of human alteration on the back, I know it will be trashed by the grading company, but I still want the card because it has great visual appeal.

I've found that even an EXMT to NM card will be down-graded to VGEX simply because it has an extremely minor paper wrinkle on the back. I have two such cards and will crack both out if I ever sell them.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

two halves, above the printed paper. SGC are the easiest! Do NOT try this with a GAI--the one half nestles inside the other half. Mark Macrae recommends a heavy hammer, tapping gerntly around the holder where the two parts come together (with a GAI, this will be facing you when the card is lying flat; with the others, you have to go around the edges.)

I only have three cards I keep in holders. Chess cards from 1888. I think they look nice that way.

Yes, SGC is hard on backs--even blank backs. But I think the holders are sort of pretty too. If I HAD to choose one kind.

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Posted By: Bob

Also check the back under 10x magnification. If there is any paper loss at all, then the card is probably graded correctly , considering the other defects of the card also. I would leave the card in the holder and if you go to sell it then crack it out.

BOB

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Posted By: jay behrens

Very true. I have an outstanding looking m116 Abbitichio with 4 sharp corners and well centered yet got only a 60. I was amazed when I saw the grade. Then upon closer inspection I noticed a very minute fleck of paper missing from the lower left corner. A truly NM card downgraded to ex. Since I want to m16s a cornerstone of my player set, the card won't be going anywhere, but if I was to resell it, I'd prolly crack it out of the case adn sell it raw.

Jay

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Posted By: Brian C Daniels

So we can all look at it and detect why or why not it should have been graded as it were. We may be able to enlighten you about the grading service ro your card itself!Possibly you missed something we will detect giving SGC some benefit of the doubt...

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Posted By: TBob

Ben- I've cracked open easily over 100 SGC holders so I have some experience here. My SGC approach is to use a pair of pliers and placing the slab on a hard surface like a counter top, let the end with the label hang over the edge. Gripping the left top, slowly raise it with the pliers while keeping the slab staedy with your other hand, until it cracks. The do the same on the right top. Next use a flat head screwdriver and wedging it in the top ( be careful not to get near the card)turn it as you go around the edges and it will cleanly pop open. VIOLA. SGCs are the easiest to open with PSA next. Becketts are a little more trouble as are PROs (I have only opened two). One of the newer companies was really a pain in the ass but I can't remember which one (GAI?)
Good luck.
Bob

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

...

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Posted By: dan mckee

Pliers, screwdrivers? You need to ENJOY cracking cards out of holders! I put the holder on a concrete surface and clobber it with a hammer! The holder splits apart and the card is there just waiting to be handled by someone that knows what it is! I have a huge box full of broken holders so you can take that population report and throw it out the window. At least on pre-war graded 6 or below.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

but gentle tapping. A huge blow might damage the card, no? You want to be in control at all times.

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Posted By: brian parker

The handful of slabbed cards that I have owned and cracked (in my hobby dictionary slabbed = commodity), I used a bench vise to secure the slab, with the top of the jaw lined up right along the ridge beneath the label (I have only cracked PSA cards). Then by applying equal pressure along the rest of the holder I pull it back towards me and snap off the top. A slotted screwdriver does the rest of the job.

Still, I would probably advise TBOB's method, as he has a lot more experience in these matters. I have provided this information just in case you are in the middle of the desert and need to crack a holder, and you only have a bench mounted vise available.

Brian

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Posted By: TBob

<I said all that in my post, except the part that's unnecessary (the pliers part). >
Now, now Julie, you aren't a tad edgey tonight because my Cinderella Twins humbled your A's are you?

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Posted By: Brian C Daniels

A band saw is obviously the bad ass tool to get it done quickly and efficiently!