Trimmed cards gaining acceptance?

[z28jd]

Way back in the day, maybe 2002, I suggested here that grading companies give altered cards a zero grade and a modifier to tell what was wrong with the card. I would say of the 20 people who responded at least 21 thought it was a stupid idea and they didn't want grading companies to grade anything trimmed/recolored/restored/whatever

[Chris-Counts]

The first card I bought off eBay 10 years ago was a trimmed 1953 Bowman Gerry Staley. I wasn't happy when my brother pointed out it was trimmed, but after a while, I not only stopped worrying about trimmed cards, but I actually started seeking them out, in part because I could acquire so many cards I couldn't normally afford on my limited budget. I'd much rather have a trimmed card than one with creases and rounded corners at the same price. For some time, I was convinced they were undervalued, but now I'm getting outbid all the time, so I suspect there's other bargain-hunting collectors like me. Some of my favorite cards are trimmed ...

[freakhappy]

I don't mind trimmed cards...to each their own. At the moment, I own one trimmed card (T206 Mathewson Dark Cap) and I don't even notice the trim job on it. The card looks to be a tad short, so to me it looks beautiful and untrimmed. Like a few people have said already, this is a card that if unaltered, I would not be able to afford. So I welcome trimmed cards if they are usually expensive unaltered.

As for the "chop jobs", they look horrible and wouldn't touch them unless they were too cheap to pass up. The gentlemen that showed us a few...the orange Mathewson looks very bad (no offense), but I can hardly look at that card!

Mike

[Jaybird]

I just find the good looking trimmed cards to have bad karma. More than likely they duped someone at one time in their life. Someone bought that card thinking it was a NM card and then found out it was trimmed and was disappointed (cheated). I don't like the karma associated with that kind of black mark on the hobby. I want my cards to be about as far away from that as possible.

Some guy sitting under a light trimming cards with a razor blade is pretty bad and I don't think should be rewarded. As bad as that Mathewson looks to you, I think it looks better than a doctored card. I think those sharp corners stick out more sorely.

To each his own...

[Jaybird]

Originally Posted by freakhappy

As for the "chop jobs", they look horrible and wouldn't touch them unless they were too cheap to pass up. The gentlemen that showed us a few...the orange Mathewson looks very bad (no offense), but I can hardly look at that card!

Mike

I've been thinking about this card and agree it's ugly so I got a sharp razor and poof, look what I made! Now I can sell it for twice as much as I bought it for and the world is a richer place for not having to look upon such an eyesore. Anyone know how I can press out that crease?

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by z28jd

Way back in the day, maybe 2002, I suggested here that grading companies give altered cards a zero grade and a modifier to tell what was wrong with the card. I would say of the 20 people who responded at least 21 thought it was a stupid idea and they didn't want grading companies to grade anything trimmed/recolored/restored/whatever

John - that's how I remember it as well. It really sounds from the comments in this thread, that a lot of collectors no longer mind trimmed cards. They were just plain taboo.

atx840 - good example. That illustrates very well the situation we're in if we are collecting expensive cards, but on a budget. I also like all the subtle differences in the Matty white caps - mine is actually a hack job of a nice one as well, and also a 649 OP.

[ullmandds]

Personally...I really don't like trimmed cards...I have owned a few...maybe 10 or so over the years...but have slowly gotten rid of them...and the few I have left...I don't even know where they are!!!!

I agree with Jason's take...that maliciously trimmed cards are much worse than innocently trimmed cards...but sometimes you'll never know!!!!


The only thing worse than trimmed cards...in my opinion...are cards that have had color added to them...they are the worst.

It only makes sense that many people will buy/collect some cards that are trimmed...especially rarities...as the prices of unaltered cards continue into the stratosphere...collectors with less means will pursue these trimmed/altered/grade A cards as it's a more reasonable way to own such cards.

But personally...they're not for me...and they PISS ME OFF!!!!!!

[Exhibitman]

Sometimes you have to take what you can get.



If a tuff card has been trimmed but not mangled I will take it if the price is right or the card has been on a search list for a long time. As for TPGs, no reason not to authenticate.

[brianp-beme]

I used to frown on trimmed cards, but that was so twenty years ago for me. I think collecting Zeenuts has not only loosened me up to really rough looking cards, but has gotten me accustomed to cards that have unoriginal borders (the 1913 through 1937 cards all had coupons on the bottom that were usually cut or ripped off). I have some great looking E93 HOF cards that came from the Don McPherson collection (he is the collector that authored the Zeenut major league player listing, with the aid of Buck Barker) that are absolutely spectacular but were cut off on either top or bottom border to fit into his sheets. I wouldn't have been able to afford them otherwise.

Brian

[ullmandds]

That's part of it...if you collect rare...obscure sets you'll most likely have to deal/live with trimmed/altered cards...whereas if you only deal in more mainstream sets like T206...it's easier to find unaltered copies.

[Jaybird]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

That's part of it...if you collect rare...obscure sets you'll most likely have to deal/live with trimmed/altered cards...whereas if you only deal in more mainstream sets like T206...it's easier to find unaltered copies.

Good point.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

That's part of it...if you collect rare...obscure sets you'll most likely have to deal/live with trimmed/altered cards...whereas if you only deal in more mainstream sets like T206...it's easier to find unaltered copies.

Peter, that's true - as far as I remember that has always been the case, but my examples actually involved T206's - this was a set where trimmed cards were once frowned upon, and it sounds like now 'us collectors' are much more accepting toward them.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

That's part of it...if you collect rare...obscure sets you'll most likely have to deal/live with trimmed/altered cards...whereas if you only deal in more mainstream sets like T206...it's easier to find unaltered copies.

I agree Pete and no one has mentioned that there ARE some cards which SGC gave an "A" to which might not be trimmed at all. Some factory cuts, etc. I have two examples of a particular 1912 Zeenut card, one is a 30 and the other an "A" and if you saw them both in person you would probably take the "A" all day long because it looks like an 80.