SGC is working with a professional printing company on an uncut sheet cutting service that will be offered publicly in the first half of next year.
In partnership with a commercial printing company, SGC has been testing the process for more than two years and plans to offer it to collectors who are considering cutting cards from their full or partial sheets. Costs haven’t been determined yet but once the cards are cut, SGC will encapsulate and grade the cards with a special “Sheet Cut” designation on the front of the holder. The company says its goal is to make the cuts “indistinguishable from factory-cut cards.”
About 1,000 uncut proof card sheets that were originally purchased in the 1989 Topps auction conducted by Guernsey’s where many items from the company’s archives were sold have already been cut. Those cards are being sold through National Card Investors and some were on display at last weekend’s Greater Boston Show. It’s a project that will continue for a few more months. After it’s complete, SGC will begin offering the service to the public.
Great selection of Original Topps Progressive Proofs at the GBSCC show in Wilmington, MA. pic.twitter.com/m9h8bQRe6Q
— Jeffrey Weisenberg (@Jeff_natcard) November 3, 2018
The first progressive proofs from this amazing collection will be available soon. 1972 Topps Baseball. included are Reggie Jackson In Action, Ted Williams, Thurman Munson, Bench In Action + 62 others. pic.twitter.com/dgGodSAX3Y
— Jeffrey Weisenberg (@Jeff_natcard) October 18, 2018
National Card Investors will be set up at the GBSCC Convention on Fri.-Sun. November 2-4 at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. Come see us to look at and purchase some of the finest Topps progressive proofs from the original 1989 Topps/Guernsey’s Auction. Tables 252-254 pic.twitter.com/F5cHcJKm1O
— Jeffrey Weisenberg (@Jeff_natcard) October 31, 2018
SGC’s Dave Forman says the company will play an advisory role in helping determine which sheets might be candidates for the service. He says SGC does plan to consider uncut sheets of virtually all years and types.
Each standard-size sheet takes about 20-30 minutes to cut and the equipment must run for several hours at a time. Setting it to properly cut various sheets also adds to the time requirement and Forman says not every sheet may be worth cutting from a cost or execution standpoint such as individual Post Cereal cards, Hostess panels or other modern issues.
Collectors have raised the possibility that some who use the new service may try to remove high-grade encapsulated sheet cut cards from SGC holders and attempt to have them graded by another company. Generally, sheet cut cards are considered altered. If the sheet cut isn’t detected and the card receives a standalone high-grade, it’s possible there would be a strong incentive for collectors to attempt such moves.
Forman believes the sheet cut cards may have a strong market value by themselves, in part because of their pedigree.
“I don’t know what they’ll sell for but once the market is established, I believe it’ll help the overall price of uncut sheets,” he said.
Some of the cards being offered through Card Investors that were originally in the Guernsey’s auction include a series of unissued proofs for Reggie Jackson’s 1977 Topps card that showed him in an Orioles uniform, several Hall of Famers from the 1972-73 Topps basketball proof sheets and others from the 1972 Topps baseball set, most of which are priced at $300 and up.
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