General Forum

Interesting article. I’m not a fan of the idea but curious what others think.

https://prewarcards.com/2018/12/17/restored-honus-wagner-t206-sale-price-memory-lane-auction-baseball-card/

As long as it was made clear from the get go that the card was restored, I see nuthin' wrong with it.  I, myself, would've rather had the unrestored version.

My exact thoughts.

I agree with Gunny.

There are people who like to keep items in their antique, "farm-fresh" condition (think Mike and Frank from American Pickers), and there are people who like to restore items to their original condition (think Rick Dale from American Restoration). Both options are totally fine.

If the owner perceives the card as a rare object (i.e., more like a piece of art than a simple baseball card), then sure, have it restored and make the statement that you've done so. Nothing wrong with that.

My fear is that it wouldn’t always be made abundantly clear. Also, what’s to prevent someone from using a less valuable card in that set and “restoring” it into a Honus card. Think of all the high value cards in the hobby that could hit the market devaluing the legit cards. I know it goes on already but I don’t think it’s good for the hobby.

I agree with everyone. Do what you want, if you're upfront about it. But I'd prefer the unrestored version. Heck, so far, I won't buy a card that's graded "Authentic," because I just don't want something that was likely purposefully altered. Somehow, if the years took their toll, I'm fine with it. This seems just a notch above a fake or reprint. The back is completely new. The borders are completely new. Give me the beat up card.

Trying to figure out the why behind my answer. I think it's because I'm not interested in the aesthetic of the cards as much as I am in the rarity and age. A card in this condition would be rare, but not if you can just put into this condition by altering it. The card is old, but only about 60% of it is old; the rest is new restoration. If I just liked the look of the card, I could get a reprint.

Yeah, not for me. But whatever.

Thanks for sharing the article. 

v3

I agree with the "so long as it is clear the card has been restored" train of thought. I would prefer to have unrestored card, but might dabble with the idea of getting a restored card. 

I feel the same way with just about any restored collectible. Some years back, maybe around mid 1980s I first heard about restoration for comic books. Same sort of process, same debate among collectors. I have a comic or two that I thought would be cool to restore, but I don't think I can afford the process. I think I would be more inclined to get a restored comic so I could read the story, than I would a restored trading card.

I guess another aspect to consider about restored cards would be the display factor. If you are one who loves to show off your "best" specimens in your collection a restored card might be a welcome addition.

I agree with randylaw. To me restoring a car is different than restoring a card. They should be left as they are. No touchups.

Just a follow up thought, one of the favorite cards in my collection is a 1969 Luke Walker who was a leftie pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The one I have has been folded and I trimmed the white border off when I was a kid.  I kept that card in my back pocket for good luck.  Now the card is in a top loader and looks in worse than poor condition, but to me it is more valuable than BVG or PSA or SCG 10 Gem Mint.

I think its a great idea as long as it is clearly labeled as restored.  These before and after pictures are good as well.  I have a Gary Carter RC that would look better restored but how much did these guys pay for that?  $14k.  I'll stay with my dinged corners on my older cards.