How to Identify Altered Cards

How to Identify Altered Cards

So, you’ve found a card that looks a little too good to be true. The corners are razor-sharp, the color is vibrant, and there’s not a single surface flaw. Before you celebrate your incredible find, it’s crucial to consider the possibility that the card has been altered. Card alteration is the practice of modifying a card to conceal flaws and improve its appearance, and it’s a major problem in the collecting world. Learning how to spot these doctored cards is an essential skill for any serious collector.

Common Alteration Techniques

Card doctors have a variety of tricks up their sleeves to make a card appear to be in better condition than it actually is. Some of the most common methods include:

• Trimming: This involves cutting or shaving a small amount off the edges of a card to sharpen the corners and remove edge wear. A trimmed card will be slightly smaller than a factory-cut card.
• Coloring: This is the process of adding color to a card to hide surface wear, scratches, or print defects. This is often done with markers or paint, and it’s especially common on cards with dark borders, like the 1971 Topps baseball set.
• Reglossing: Some people will apply a foreign substance to a card to restore its original glossy finish. This can be difficult to detect, but it often leaves the card with an unnatural-looking sheen.
• Pressing: Creases and wrinkles can be pressed out of a card using a variety of methods. While this may flatten the card, it often leaves a permanent indentation that can be seen under close inspection.
• Rebuilding: In some extreme cases, a card doctor will attempt to rebuild a missing corner or edge using paper fibers and glue. This is a complex process, but it can be detected by examining the card’s opacity and texture.

Your Toolkit for Detection

You don’t need a high-tech lab to spot most alterations. With a few simple tools and a keen eye, you can become a proficient alteration detective.

• Your Eyes: The most important tool you have is your own vision. A close visual inspection is often all it takes to spot obvious alterations like mended tears or mismatched colors.
• Magnifying Glass or Loupe: A good magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe will allow you to get a closer look at the card’s surface and edges. This is essential for detecting subtle alterations like trimming and coloring.
• Black Light: A longwave black light is an invaluable tool for detecting alterations. Many of the inks and glues used in alterations will fluoresce, or glow, under a black light, making them easy to spot.
• A Known, Unaltered Card: Comparing a suspect card to a known, unaltered card from the same set is a great way to spot differences in size, color, and gloss.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Inspecting a Card

1. Remove the card from its holder. You can’t properly inspect a card when it’s in a sleeve, top-loader, or graded slab.
2. Check the size and cut. Compare the card to a known, unaltered card from the same set. If it’s smaller, it may have been trimmed.
3. Look for color inconsistencies. Examine the card under a bright light. Do the colors look uniform? Are there any areas that appear to be touched up?
4. Inspect the surface gloss. Hold the card at an angle to a light source. Does the gloss look even and natural? Or are there areas that are too shiny or too dull?
5. Use a black light. In a dark room, shine a black light on the card. Look for any areas that glow or fluoresce.
6. Feel the card’s surface and edges. Run your fingers along the surface and edges of the card. Do you feel any bumps, ridges, or indentations?

By following these steps, you can significantly reduce your chances of being fooled by an altered card. Remember, when it comes to collecting, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.