Opinions on Soaking/Pressing

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Posted By: RayB

I'm sorry, hypothetical examples don't work for me. Anybody can paint you into a box by concocting a hypothetical which doesn't allow for a way for you to justify your own opinion.
Should I really forge checks to see if the teller "authenticates" it so I can slip it past the bank to "enhance " my personal worth? Of course not.
It's a matter of ethics. It's not whether or not a given card in your own collection has ever been altered in it's travels prior to it residing with you, it's more about whether or not you have soaked, are soaking or would be willing to soak for condition enhancement. I'm against it. If your answer is yes I do it than it's sad you feel that way.
The shame of it is that now soaked (enhanced) cards are also being presented to Authenticators (without disclosure)for the expressed purpose of better grade treatment. Those of you doing this certainly aren't doing it just for personal satisfaction of having your cards look better; it's because this card will present as a "higher" grade and be worth more if you can "slip" it by the graders through to authentication.
Overlooking or grudgingly accepting the fact that a small percentage of cards have been tweaked over the years is one thing; but Espousing and utilizing the "Doctoring 101" methodology of soaking cards is bad ethics.
RayB