T205 Border Discoloration

sabrjay wrote:As far as I know, discoloration doesn't affect grade. Not sure it should.

Jay

I also do not think that border discoloration affects grade. But if this discoloration is attributable to a reaction of the metal with its environment, some will see this as an undesireable degredation, while others will view the color change as interesting toning.

Personally, I like the apparent fact that the borders change color. It provides more to collect. However, the change of color on the borders are apparently caused by environmental conditions, much like an outdoor copper statue is exposed to. If this is true, the color change can be produced artificially. Perhaps by exposing the borders to moisture, oxygen, acidic gases, and other reactants.

If the cards are downgraded because of this color change, (which is most likely a deterioration of the metal component of the border), the motivation to artificially produce this effect is removed; and collectors are free to enjoy pursuit of this option, as their interest may dictate.


But Hey
What about Ramlys
Do those tarnish

Gil,

I am by no means a T205 expert but I have dissected quite a few. Taken of fronts, backs, front & backs together, a word or date here and there, removed the gold borders, skinned them, rebacked, refaced and so on blah, blah, blah.

I can tell you that T205's clean up better than any other card when bathed. Generally the discoloration and dirt collected in the raised metal flake crevasses throughout the last century comes right off. It will once again twinkle and shine.....like this little light of mine.

Kevin

Kevin, I betcha many of us as kids took a penny which had browned up and cleaned it up real shiny with a pencil eraser.
Since then, some of us have had to remove the green verdigris from copper which has been exposed to the elements for too long.
Collectible coins from before the 1800s often exhibit an almost black coloration (termed by many "chocolate" but they are obviously thinking semi-sweet).

I like this natural patination. Cleaning it is something which I would resist doing. Particularly because Jay has pointed out that if no metal was applied, the borders are yellow (and I have since seen one or two scans of these untreated t205s). Additionally, somewhat infrequently, one encounters copper which shows a red colored corrosion residue.

I guess that these variously colored border cards are encountered so infrequently that there is no hope of assembling a set of one player with gold, black, green, yellow, brown, red or other colored borders. But it would be nice.

I have never followed t205s. Does anyone know what border color possibilities are encountered?
That is, what colors have you seen + how often do you see them?

Only colors I've seen ar gold, yellow and a greenish/yellow

Jay

I've owned three Youngs - all three had those "green" borders (all three were definitely real however).