Questions for Doug Allen

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Posted By: jay behrens

One easy to way to look at what Doug has said is acceptable alterations is that these are alterations that are easy to do and are difficult for the slabbers to detect. I am glad to see that he is asking SGC/PSA how they feel able the wrinkle/crease removal.

Basically, what "accetable" boils down to is what can be done that slabbers won't be able to detect. For most people it's the simple things like spooning and erasing, but as the secrets to major alterations get out, more and more significant alterations will be conisdered "acceptable".

What needs to be done is the card collecting go the route of comic books. SGC is perfectly postioned to do what I am about to suggest:

The hobby needs to say, it's OK to restore cards. Be open about it and have it, but have two different grades. One for altered and one unaltered cards. Altered cards would have a not as to what had been done to the card. SGC's comic division already does this and this system works well for comic books.

I am sure people will be trying to pass off altered cards as unaltered, but it's a better system that what we currently have and would get rid of the AUTH grade along with it.

As to Doug saying that erasing and laying flat corners does not materially change card, that is flat out wrong. By laying a corner flat, you have taken a card with layer and made it so that it no longer does. That is a material change. Same for erasing. You have removed something from the card that was there, even though it may not have been palced there by the manufacturer.

Jay

I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.