@triple done it again
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Adding wax to cover holos scratches is a form of alteration. Basically they are selling you a damaged waxed card that fools you to believe itās pack fresh.
Some would say it is alteration, some would disagree - as others have stated - comics itās quite accepted.
However the wax doesnt actually ācoverā anything - it doesnt hide any scratches or āfill them inā. The product itself is pretty terrible. It literally doesnt do anything other than remove age related dirt. It wont hide a scratch that is stopping a card from getting a 10.
People in these forums are giving kurts the best marketing as they claim it does things it simply, literally cant do.
Why does no one take me seriously anymore 
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The bait inside the bait thread is crazy:)
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You realize waxing a card doesnāt mean youāre adding wax right.
Itās polishing the surface to lessen the scratches.
The wax is removedā¦ā¦
Also does anyone know how to check if a dent has been fixed? I am buying a PSA10 Mario Pikachu for $10k in like a couple days and want to make sure its nice. I can send pics
Seriously! You donāt even have to go that far back. I remember in 2019 selling psa 10 scream pikachus for $150. That hurt to type! 
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As a skilled baiter, you wrap interesting topics in easily-refuted and sensationalized claims. For example, the title says that you ārefuse to buyā any graded vintage card thatās a 7 cert or higher because of possible altering. Any cursory look through your post history reveals not only a significant number of 7-cert and higher vintage cards youāve purchased, but also claims of other certs or items you allegedly donāt want but seem to purchase.
Beyond this, the post itself begs for an argument rather than a discussion. Instead of discussing the growing prevalence of altering, you wrap this up in a refusal to buy any 7-cert or higher vintage card. This extreme position (which as evidenced above you donāt actually subscribe to) baits people into refuting the sensationalism (e.g. not all newly graded cards are altered, altering might not start at the 7 certs exactly, be careful where you buy your cards).
Thankfully most of E4 has avoided the obvious bait of arguing over your collection contents and the sensationalized claims in order to discuss the more interesting implication of your post, which is the implications of increased card altering and whether buying cards graded before this phenomenon may be helpful for those who want to avoid altered cards.
I hope that if you want to keep participating on E4, you avoid this style of posting. This thread is proof that you can start an interesting conversation and you donāt need sensationalism or bait in order to do it.
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I personally wouldnāt mind buying a cleaned card, as long as itās properly disclosed and not hidden. This kind of practice has always existed in the art world, often involving pieces worth much more than trading cards :
The restoration of a painting can both increase and decrease its value, depending on the type of restoration and the condition of the artwork before restoration. A well-executed restoration by a professional can enhance the paintingās appearance and increase its value, while a poorly done restoration or excessive interventions can alter it and reduce its value.
Increase in value:
- Minimal restorations:
Repairs to tears, varnish touch-ups, or the replacement of small missing areas can improve the paintingās appearance without fundamentally altering it. - Cleaning and grime removal:
Professional cleaning of a painting can reveal the original colors and restore its brightness. - High-quality restorations:
Restorations carried out by qualified professionals can improve the paintingās condition and make it more appealing to potential buyers.
Decrease in value:
- Excessive restorations:
Excessive retouching, heavy overpainting, or clumsy interventions can alter the original appearance of the painting and make it less attractive. - Poor-quality restorations:
Poorly executed interventions can even cause new damage to the painting and decrease its value. - Lack of authenticity:
Overpainting or interventions that significantly alter the artwork can raise questions about its authenticity and reduce its value.
In summary:
Restoring a painting can improve its condition and increase its value if done properly by a professional.
Poor restoration or excessive interventions can alter the artwork and decrease its value.
The authenticity of the painting should be preserved as much as possible during restoration.
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Did you use ChatGPT to defend altering?
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Yes, because Iām not a native English speaker and translating it would have been too difficult for me. But Iām not defending altering, read more carefully.
I mean, people restore works by Picasso, Da Vinci, Monet, etc. But somehow, the idea of ārestoringā PokĆ©mon cards is completely off-limits? Come on. If people want collectibles to be taken seriously, more like works of art, then they need to be more open-minded and acknowledge the reality that restoration exists and is accepted in more prestigious markets.
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How can you even compare paintings (restored to be preserved over the years, with everything disclosed and extensive studies/research ) vs cards with thousand of copies (ārestoredā in a basement with some sketchy crap just to speculate)
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want to compare to something similar? compare it to coins. No one wants polished coins in the numismatic world.
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Why should I give the time of day to something AI spit out instead of what a human wrote? ChatGPT always produces these fence-sitting statements that donāt advance discussion in any meaningful way, and this was no different.
Restoration for historical preservation and card altering for the purpose of deception and profit are two completely different things. I feel for you communicating on a forum thatās not in your native tongue, but youāre missing the point of this discussion by attempting to take a broader approach.
Also if you want to use a bot but in a more transparent way, E4 has its very own @Swoobot (just ping it but at least it lets people know youāre using a bot to quickly look up a bunch of information rather than citing it as your own ideas).
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What a fascinating thread! The debate over card alteration and restoration is certainly heating up. Itās clear thereās a lot of passion around whether these practices should be accepted or rejected in the PokĆ©mon card community, especially with how it compares to art restoration.
The cabalās motto "antiquior. rarior. integrior. melius.ā highlights the importance of authenticity and integrity. Itās understandable why folks are cautious about alterations, as it can challenge these principles.
Remember, whether or not one chooses to engage with altered cards, transparency and informed decision-making are key in this hobby. If you have questions or need a deeper dive, tag me!
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Thatās indeed a good comparison (to coins), Iāll keep it in mind 
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Coins are a bit of a tough analogy too, as thereās the at home, wreck the value polishing/cleaning, and then thereās NCS āconservationā. NCS is an arm of one of the major grading companies (NGC/CGC) that restores coins that have chemical residue or terminal oxidation to try and save the coin.
Kurts card care and cert # are apparently the 2 things that make E4 go into a absolute crapstorm. I am a supporter of cleaning your cards for your own personal collection and even selling if itās properly advertised. Keep in mind that people restore stuff to resell and profit off of for cars, paintings, coins and much more without saying anything about it.
In terms of certs, I donāt really care, if it has a rayquaza and dosenāt look like itās supposed to be a 8 and not a 10, Iāll personally go for it and put it in my cart. Itās better that people refuse to buy certs IMHO, just leaves more of the market available for me to get the cards I want.