Every slabbed card has a story, don't it?

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

And sure, some people just want to improve the appearance of their own cards. But a huge part of it is done to deceive, for profit.

I don't believe there is any deception going on at all for most improvements. People are simply fixing minor flaws on their cards just like they would fix anything else that they own. I think it's similar to selling a used car. If that car was considered "totaled" by an insurance company, then that's a material fact and it needs to be disclosed, but if it just had a small fender dent and you were able to pop it back out with a suction cup, then there's nothing material to disclose. Obviously, the conversation changes if we're talking about trimming, but Kurt isn't doing stuff like that.

[G1911]

If I pretend words and phrases mean whatever I want them to mean instead of the actual meaning and use circular logic, I can argue literally anything.

We all know the obvious. These sellers do not mention their alterations because they know perfectly well it hurts the value. They will insist otherwise, for the equally obvious reasons.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I don't believe there is any deception going on at all for most improvements. People are simply fixing minor flaws on their cards just like they would fix anything else that they own. I think it's similar to selling a used car. If that car was considered "totaled" by an insurance company, then that's a material fact and it needs to be disclosed, but if it just had a small fender dent and you were able to pop it back out with a suction cup, then there's nothing material to disclose. Obviously, the conversation changes if we're talking about trimming, but Kurt isn't doing stuff like that.

I think you're justifying it, not explaining it? What harm would there be in disclosing, given it's obvious some people do still care? Why not err on the side of full candor, if as you say it's inconsequential it won't affect price.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I think you're justifying it, not explaining it? What harm would there be in disclosing, given it's obvious some people do still care? Why not err on the side of full candor, if as you say it's inconsequential it won't affect price.

As I mentioned above, it's just not worth the drama for most people. They're just not interested in battling with these guys on social media who disagree with their viewpoint. They're not trying to be deceptive, they simply think your viewpoint isn't worth acknowledging. They do not see it as an alteration.

Please don't twist this into a political debate, but there's a similar conversation going on in society regarding people who wish to identify as cats (or foxes, furries, dragons, etc.) and who demand that others refer to them as such. There are some who choose to support them and who will refer to them as dragons, and then there are others, who view them as delusional and choose not to participate. Sometimes people just see things differently. And in this case, people who clean their cards simply disagree with your assessment that doing so renders them altered. It's not about deceiving you, it's about completely disregarding your viewpoint.