What's your opinion on owning altered cards?

[egri]

I have a few cards that are altered. I don't mind, as I think it makes the colors pop more (it shows up better in person), and it certainly made them cheaper to acquire. That being said, I do keep in mind that if I ever need to sell, the trimming will be reflected in the sale price.

[36GoudeyMan]

FWIW, I look at it this way: I own a few restored comics, but they are identified as such, with the nature of the restoration disclosed. I can get a slightly restored, barely touched Golden Age comic for a fraction (a medium fraction, not a tiny fraction) if I am willing to accept a comic with restoration like "staples cleaned" or "slight color touch on spine." I used to care what other collectors thought of "polluting" a pristine collection with some altered copies, but I frankly enjoy what I have and could care less what others think. If I ever sell, I would absolutely call attention to the documented alteration and let the buyer make a choice. I'm not in it to profit, so if the market for restored comics slips, I'm still OK having had them in my collection. I think altered cards may be heading that way, although slowly, and as long as there is disclosure. Good luck!!!

[ZiggerZagger]

I think it really depends on the Collector, but in particular depends on the card in question.

I've tended to avoid cards with Qualifiers and AA designations typically. It rankles my OCD...
But I ran across this E90-1 Cobb for my Cobb run last year, and for the eye appeal and 1k price, I just had no reason to say no.
I've enjoyed it, and have no plans to 'upgrade' it for a numerically graded copy, for what would cost a few times the price I'm sure.

I hope you find a '52 Mantle you'll be similarly happy with!

[Peter_Spaeth]

No thanks.

Doesn't bother me. I collect only raw cards and not for the investment. I wouldn't pay for one but also wouldn't throw one out if I came across one.

[Leon]

I prefer not to own them but have a few. As long as they are known when bought then it's ok for me.

**It's the millions of fraudulently altered cards in SGC and PSA numeric holders...as well as Beckett, I am concerned about.

.

[sportscardpete]

I'll take an A. Especially if it is something like an eraser on the back of a card.

[packs]

I wouldn't mind owning an "Authentic" card like a 52 Mantle but I would have terms. I would not be interested in a card with trimmed borders and corners made to look nice. But I would be interested if it was missing a corner or recolored or something.

[Seven]

I've purchased a couple of altered cards because of their eye appeal and the fact that they were almost too good to pass up at the prices I acquired them at. In the midst of the COVID boom, I bought a low graded 53 Bowman Mantle, but never got it as it was stolen from me. After being bummed about the situation for a while, I stumbled across an altered version of the card, for about half the price that I paid for the low graded one, and bought it instantly.

I think it's really up to you as the collector. Altered cards do offer the benefit of a lower price point, and it makes it a little bit easier to get a card you want, that looks presentable. I try to buy non altered cards when I can, but like I said sometimes there are deals that are almost too good to pass up. Or the struggle of finding a price point on a high dollar card that you wouldn't normally be able to get. As someone that eventually wants to own a 52 Topps Mantle as well, I can relate to it.

[riggs336]

I don't seek them out, but I don't mind having a nice looking one like this.

[steve B]

I have a few. I think as others have said, an altered card at an altered card price with the alteration known is fine. I'd prefer unaltered, and avoid them more on the generally cheap cards I buy. But if a difficult card came up altered and at a good price I'd be interested.

[tschock]

Originally Posted by 36GoudeyMan

FWIW, I look at it this way: I own a few restored comics, but they are identified as such, with the nature of the restoration disclosed. I can get a slightly restored, barely touched Golden Age comic for a fraction (a medium fraction, not a tiny fraction) if I am willing to accept a comic with restoration like "staples cleaned" or "slight color touch on spine." I used to care what other collectors thought of "polluting" a pristine collection with some altered copies, but I frankly enjoy what I have and could care less what others think. If I ever sell, I would absolutely call attention to the documented alteration and let the buyer make a choice. I'm not in it to profit, so if the market for restored comics slips, I'm still OK having had them in my collection. I think altered cards may be heading that way, although slowly, and as long as there is disclosure. Good luck!!!

Jeff,

I think for the most part 'restored' is a subset of 'altered', but I think the key is to defining the terms. I personally don't think that "staples cleaned" is 'altered', BUT it is 'restored'. Rebuilding pages is both 'altered' and 'restored', again IMO. But the key point is to define what is restored and what is altered (even if I didn't agree with the definitions).

For cards, we are currently and more closely equating the two terms. Removing pencil marks is an alteration, not restoration which would be more technically accurate. Once we better define the distinction within the hobby as a whole, 'restoration' might be more accepted. Assuming disclosure, of course. And another money making scheme for TPGs.

[drcy]

I've never liked deceptively trimmed cards. Wouldn't do that.

However, I've owned altered cards on the order of low-grade cards with pen and pencil marks, not deceptively trimmed, etc.

I've never had an interest in deceptively altered cards (ala PWCC), but I'd imagine there might be cases where I'd buy one, if the card is particularly special or rare and the price was right.

[almostdone]

I don’t seek them out but if the seller knew and disclosed as well as reflected in the price it honestly wouldn’t bother me. I do understand why it would bother some though especially if the only purchase slabbed cards. Since I collect lower grade raw with nice eye appeal for the sake of collecting and not investment it doesn’t bother me.

Here is an example I actually bought from another member here years ago. I was looking to make this display. The magazine was a gift to me and I already owned the Musial but was looking for a nice Williams that wasn’t expensive. A fellow member sold me this Williams which had come back from PSA as trimmed. He said he had purchased it in a large lot with the intention of grading and flipping. Instead of passing the card on without disclosing he took the financial hit and sold it to me for a song.

Display came out great in my opinion and it still on display in my card room.
Drew

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by 36GoudeyMan

...I frankly enjoy what I have...

Ultimately, that's the most important thing. Collecting (cards, comics, etc.) can be quite fun when it's not a competition.

[ASF123]

I would guess the number of completely unaltered 52 Mantles is small and shrinking in size all the time.

Just like the cards themselves!

[perezfan]

It's not my cup of tea...

But for those of you who like 'em trimmed and altered, there's a slew of Cracker Jacks in the current Heritage auction to wet your whistle.

Only a week to go, and no signs of warning, disclosure, addendum or withdrawal on the part of Heritage. Here's a preview...

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1460488

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by perezfan

It's not my cup of tea...

But for those of you who like 'em trimmed and altered, there's a slew of Cracker Jacks in the current Heritage auction to wet your whistle.

Only a week to go, and no signs of warning, disclosure, addendum or withdrawal on the part of Heritage. Here's a preview...

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1460488

Would it surprise you if SGC had pulled a PSA and confirmed the grades?

[prewarsports]

I look at it this way. If it is "Authentic" because a kid erased a pencil letter on the back or something like that, and you can get a card that looks like a 7 for the price of a beat-up 1, I would prefer that ALL DAY!

Some altered cards to me are hard passes, but depending on the alteration, some are great values. Especially if the "alteration" is something like a colored in corner or other factor that does not affect the integrity of the card like a trim job or something with malicious intent to deceive.

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Would it surprise you if SGC had pulled a PSA and confirmed the grades?

Not in the least. The sleaze factor is about equal.

What would pleasantly surprise me is if Heritage would do the right thing, based on the conclusive evidence provided by BODA.

At a bare minimum:
Let the auctions continue, but with addendums in red font, linking the evidence of alteration. Also allow people to retract any bids placed prior to the addendum being posted.

At a more expected level:
Withdraw each of the lots revealed to be altered. People have already placed bids based on the premise that these cards were legitimate. Some might not even see an addendum, unless they were to revisit the page and re-read the descriptions.

[FrozenInferno]

Originally Posted by perezfan

It's not my cup of tea...

But for those of you who like 'em trimmed and altered, there's a slew of Cracker Jacks in the current Heritage auction to wet your whistle.

Only a week to go, and no signs of warning, disclosure, addendum or withdrawal on the part of Heritage. Here's a preview...

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1460488

There is a big distinction between buying trimmed cards in slabs with number grades and buying cards in Authentic Altered or A slabs.

If the alterations are caught and the slab discloses that information and somebody wants to own the card badly enough or doesn’t necessarily care one way or the other as long as it’s real then I have no issue with collectors buying those cards. I don’t own any personally but I would absolutely buy them as well if it was the right card for the right price. At least I’d be making an informed decision.

It goes without saying the trimmed and altered stuff that isn’t caught and shouldn’t be in numbered slabs is definitely a massive problem.