T206 Paper Stock

[FrankWakefield]

I have occasionally encountered a white border card that I'm fairly sure was soaked. And some that I'm certain have not been soaked, at least not soaked any time in the past few years.

Why do I think this? Among white border cards that I acquired in the past couple of months was one that had a few tiny dirt (maybe tobacco) spots on there, and a bit of staining in places on the back. I soaked it for an afternoon, the front specks fell to the bottom of the glass, thew stains were water soluble and dissolved away. A (slightly) better looking card was the result. Same thing with a recent white border card that had remnants of flower paste on the back, that in places slightly obscured the Sweet Caporal design. All of that paste dissolved and the card looks better.

On cards that I'm quite sure someone else soaked, I sometimes notice they seem a bit thinner. And over the past few years of seeing that I've decided that some guys who soak cards feel compelled to physically press the card with great force to mash the water out. I'm serious in saying that those cards feel slightly thinner. I think sometimes the 'thinner' feel is due to that, soaking then over-blotting / mashing. I think enough force is necessary to have the card drying flat... but I think the goal is to have the card dry flat, not for it to be mashed flat. I haven't done this in a few years, but I recall soaking a few cards that seemed previously soaked and smashed, so that I could let them dry in a less smashed condition, and the results were successful.

So, for some of these thin cards, look at them and consider that someone super-pressed them after they soaked them.

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

Just wanted to give an update on the card I questioned.

I received the graded back from SGC and it was a 3. The card definitely had a smoother shinier stock than most T206. When the card was raw and in hand I had seen no indication that the card was not real.

Here is the card if any one is interested: Click Here

Thanks for the replies,

Lee

[BobC]

And aside from possibly being soaked, could the card at one time have been kept in a screw down holder and compressed that way as well? Could possibly account for the thinner feel, and change in stiffness also.

[Sterling Sports Auctions]

I had no reason to believe the card was ever soaked. As far as the thickness, I had no reason to believe that the thickness of the stock was an issue. I was referring to other T206 I have handled.

Lee