One Final Informal Poll on Taking Out Creases

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Posted By: T206Collector

**"if you steal a pack of bubble gum from the dime store and don't get caught, then did you not commit a crime?"**

Of course it is a crime. But what does that have to do with pressing a card under a heavy pile of books? Absolutely nothing. Just because you have identifed two fact patterns where the results of which are "no one knows" does not mean they are related or should be treated the same.

**"i find it pretty ironic that you have come out and said that most higher grade cards are altered and that's why you collect mid grade cards. i can respect that opinion. BUT, you are now saying that it's ok to alter cards as long as said alterations are undetectable. i don't think you can have it both ways."**

I have explained this on a different thread. I do not believe that soaking and pressing is an "alteration" in the sense that you do. I have a problem with high grade PSA 7's because I suspect trimming has taken place. Not soaking and pressing. I feel as strongly about trimming as you do about fat men sitting on wet cards.

**"Paul would you hold to the same view if other forms of restoration (stain removal, corner flattening, corner buildup, and trimming and regraining, to name a few) could not be detected?"**

This is a hypothetical world you've created. If stain removal, trimming, corner buildup and regraining could not be detected, our concept of collecting baseball cards and what grades are and what grading companies are would be entirely different. One of the reasons I returned to baseball card collecting after a long absence was the emergence of reliable third party grading that could detect the kinds of alterations that they do. I probably wouldn't collect cards if these phenomena were undetectable. I don't collect autographs because you just never know. I'd probably feel the same way about cards.

**"And by the way "cannot be detected" is an imprecise term. I would bet with enough money and resources someone could detect things you say are undetectable, so do you mean to say "cannot be detected" by the grading services using their normal practices?"**

Yes. That is what I mean. But I have also been applying hypothetical future grading services, too. The dialogue to me is different if we are talking about a crease that may reappear in the future or if a grading company can detect paste removal with water -- then it is about being duped now and learning about it later when the seller is outta here.