General Forum

Recently an "influencer" was called out/rejected for cleaning vintage cards and submitting to PSA. If you clean your own cards, I dont think anyone cares, but once you submit those cards for grading isnt that fraud/theft by deception?

I get the appeal of getting a damaged high value card cheap and cleaning it for better presentation for your PC

Maybe I just dont understand how soaking cardboard in a "magic" solution is good for the card or the hobby (when cleaned cards are being sold) Whats your take?

It's no longer an original card in my opinion. Wiping it with a dry cloth is ok. I've never heard of dipping in a solution a card in a solution. It has to do something to the composition of the cardcstock. I would it could be considered an altered card at that point, similar to trimming, etc 

To be clear the guy that got rejected by PSA sells a "magic" solution kit, where you soak the cards to clean/remove tape residue/wax stains/gum stains/dirt and enhance the color of vintage cards. They even recently did a high dollar prizm card that passed with a 10 (not sure why a new prizm card would need it but theres vids showing it)

My thoughts on this may be a bit indifferent. He can do whatever he wants to a card, it’s up to the TPG to verify if it’s been altered. 
 

Comic books, antiques, and historical documents are often cleaned, restored. It is well known. I think the main issue here is that these are items that are getting flipped for profit. But then again so are comic books and it seems collectors don’t mind a press and light cleaning so who knows. 

I can't see anything wrong with cleaning a card of dirt and residue.  Altering the card in other ways like trimming are a bit more egregious though.