Why are so many T206 trimmed??

[Al C.risafulli]

There's also a very simple answer to this question.

In the 80s and I believe even back to the 70s, the earliest plastic sheets that were designed to fit T-cards were ever so slightly small. Many collectors who embraced the idea of putting their cards in plastic sheets decided to cut their cards down, ever-so-slightly, to make for a better fit into these sheets.

I've heard this explanation from several different old-school collectors.

-Al

[tedzan]

Many of the ENOR (or Baldwin) 15-pocket plastic sheets that were available in the 1970's & 1980's that were designed
for T & C-type cards did not allow for the card size variations. Al is absolutely correct in what he is saying.

I stopped using these plastic sheets back then for this reason; but, more importantly because of the PVC damage that
these sheets would cause on my cards.


TED Z

[E93]

Placing blame for trimming on collectors who like cards in good condition is like blaming counterfitting on shop owners where the counterfitters spend their money. If they didn't sell their goods for money, I wouldn't have to counterfit. It doesn't mean they want fake money. It doesn't mean they want altered cards. Altering cards to improve their condition and deceive buyers for profit is caused by the greed of the card doctor/seller.
JimB

[FrankWakefield]

Not the shop owners, but the patrons... otherwise a disingenuous analogy.

[E93]

Frank,
As soon as you find a single high-grade collector who wants or looks for trimmed cards for their collection and wants to pay a premium for those trimmed cards, I will agree that they are partially responsible.

My analogy is apt. If there were not a desire for cash in the world, counterfitters would not bother. But that does not make everybody who uses or values cash responsible for the few greedy people who print fake money. Those who want and value high grade untampered with cards are not responsible for the greedy few who alter cards for profit.
JimB

[cfc1909]

There was once a big named collector in the 80s paying $100 for near mint examples of T206s. This caused a craze in looking for oversized cards to be trimmed to appear nm. Many 206s are still larger than the quoted size.

[E93]

I know that a lot of the card doctors started rearing their ugly heads when Copeland was paying a premium, but I think the responsibility lies with the doctors. Anyway, this is a pointless dispute.
Take care Jim.
JimB