The Superiority of SGC

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

We're not excusing anything. You claimed that SGC was as bad as PSA based on the Leaf Robinson and the CJ Jackson which both got by SGC. Ask any grader and they'll tell you that a card that is bleached is much tougher to spot than a card that is missing a border. Neither of the Robinson or Jackson were trimmed, just cleaned. Much harder to spot.

I used those as examples of what I thought was likely to be the conclusion at the end of the day when as many bad cards as can be identified from before and afters are on the table. But to your point, aren't we trusting and paying these TPGs to spot the difficult to find alterations as well as the easy ones?

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I used those as examples of what I thought was likely to be the conclusion at the end of the day when as many bad cards as can be identified from before and afters are on the table. But to your point, aren't we trusting and paying these TPGs to spot the difficult to find alterations as well as the easy ones?

Of course. But I think considering the circumstances we should make the best of an imperfect situation. And there really is no test which can discern whether a card is cleaned or not usually. Not surprisingly, therefore, most collectors aren't as offended by a cleaning as they are by a trim job. That PSA routinely can't spot the most obvious trimming and SGC seems to do much better in this area should be appreciated.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Of course. But I think considering the circumstances we should make the best of an imperfect situation. And there really is no test which can discern whether a card is cleaned or not usually. Not surprisingly, therefore, most collectors aren't as offended by a cleaning as they are by a trim job. That PSA routinely can't spot the most obvious trimming and SGC seems to do much better in this area should be appreciated.

If toxic chemicals were used I'm not so sure about that. And again, a crease was also removed. But to find common ground here it's astounding that some of these trim jobs are getting past PSA, just tonight another series of mini Leafs have been identified.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

If toxic chemicals were used I'm not so sure about that. And again, a crease was also removed. But to find common ground here it's astounding that some of these trim jobs are getting past PSA, just tonight a series of mini Leafs have been identified.

From what I've been told the chemicals used to clean a card (peroxide, etc.) don't leave a smell.

And yeah, the trimming is insane that they aren't spotting. All those times when you look at a Heritage auction and see high graded cards that you think have funny borders? They're ALL trimmed. Not some -- all.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

From what I've been told the chemicals used to clean a card (peroxide, etc.) don't leave a smell.

And yeah, the trimming is insane that they aren't spotting. All those times when you look at a Heritage auction and see high graded cards that you think have funny borders? They're ALL trimmed. Not some -- all.

I started to wonder about high grade T206s back with the first sale of the Harris Collection. I haven't seen much since then that instilled a lot of confidence.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by calvindog

From what I've been told the chemicals used to clean a card (peroxide, etc.) don't leave a smell.

And yeah, the trimming is insane that they aren't spotting. All those times when you look at a Heritage auction and see high graded cards that you think have funny borders? They're ALL trimmed. Not some -- all.

Plus any smell that is left after the cleaning is very easy to get rid of.

I was looking at 51 mantles today and it seemed the higher the grade and the more centered the more extra room there was in the holder. Weirdly the beaters filled the whole area in the slab way more often.

[MULLINS5]

That recently uncovered bleached Ruth SGC graded is a beauty.

[Republicaninmass]

For a while, I felt since it was in a holder, it was good. The amount t of high grade cards that look trimmed always bothered me. I'm a small fish though, no body missing my revenue

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Plus any smell that is left after the cleaning is very easy to get rid of.

I was looking at 51 mantles today and it seemed the higher the grade and the more centered the more extra room there was in the holder. Weirdly the beaters filled the whole area in the slab way more often.

Ya...last night i scrutinized my 51 mantle...its graded 4...it measured but who knows??

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

Ya...last night i scrutinized my 51 mantle...its graded 4...it measured but who knows??

What has worked best for me is one of those little 60-100X top lighted microscopes. Even in a slab trimmed cards stick out like a sore thumb with that much magnification.

If at home another trick I use is scan(1200dpi) the card front and back. Then put the scan on the big a$$ TVs we all seem to have. When the card is two and a half feet by 4 foot it is pretty easy to see most alterations.