What's the best way -

SidePocket

to tell if a card is trimmed? Here's the situation. There is a local dealer who has a beautiful raw 1959 Bob Gibson. It's perfectly centered, probably a 6 but maybe a 7. It's in a thick holder and I haven't taken it out yet to really look close, but it is very nice.

My concern is that it may be trimmed. It doesn't look trimmed, I just would hate to buy it and find out it is. Any ideas on the best way to get comfortable with it? I know there's no perfect method but I'd want to feel pretty certain before I buy it.

Thanks for any thoughts!

bigfische

assuming the card is not wavy and there is no obvious trim job, look directly at the sides of the card and see if one side is lighter in color or has a different texture to the cut.

earlycalguy

take it out of the holder and measure it up against a few other 59' cards. if you are serious about buying it the dealer should let you remove it from the holder.

11235813

EarlyCalguy has it exactly right. Bring along a couple of other cards from a similar issue to measure it against. I do this at shows, and dealers have always been perfectly happy to let me take the card of of the holder to measure it.

70chip

<< <i>take it out of the holder and measure it up against a few other 59' cards. if you are serious about buying it the dealer should let you remove it from the holder. >>



Thats your answer point blank.

Griffins

trimmed cards can be full sized and legit cards can be undersized. Size isn't everything (at least with cards)
Look at the edges - are they straight, the same tone, and have the same angle of cut? does the grain go the same way? and if you loupe them do you see minute sand particles or are they clean?

Brick

There can be other problems besides trimming. Does this dealer sell graded cards or only raw? If only raw you can inspect the card to the best of your ability and decide if the risk is worth the reward. If he sells both raw & graded there is a reason this card is not slabbed. Have you purchased from him before with success? If you send it to PSA & they refuse to slab it what is his return policy? Is he knowledgeable about vintage cards? Whatever you decide I hope it works out well for you.