The dreaded staple rust
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Post Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:26 pm 
 

I would recommend against restoration unless you are certain that you will never sell the item.  I've heard many times from people who swear they'll never get out of the hobby and never sell so-and-so, but the only collector I've ever known who never seems to completely sell out at some time is Frank Mentzer.
:P

Everyone else, please consider this about restoration - if this hobby keeps growing over the decades and keeps gaining authority (and it likely will, as 2nd AD&D and 3.0 devotees age and gain income), standards of valuation are going to become more stringent.  Common items won't be affected, but rare items will.  Restoration detection techniques are becoming cheaper and more advanced all the time.  And if the market decides that a restored item is worth 50% less than grade, what are you going to do when it's time to sell?  You'll either have to lie when you sell, and risk your reputation, or admit the restoration and face potential devaluation.

Now you may say I'm paranoid, that the hobby will never grow that much, that we're all growing older and the younger generation has no interest, etc.  But my research, contacts, and home business say otherwise, so I think if you're really invested, you should plan for the future - even if you're just going to pass this stuff on to your kids.  People 6 years ago said the hobby was dying, then the Acaeum came along.  What will things be like in 15 years, when items are much rarer and most of us have more disposable income?  They say the hobby will never keep growing, but if you check the auction history for Daystar Rahasia you'll see that one sold for $4 in 1995 ...
:P

So, if you restore your $1,300 woodgrain up to $1,800 level, you might actually be cutting its value down to half optimum - $900.  I assume most of you wouldn't burn four $100 bills if you had them on hand, so it's something to think about.  In comics and books, for example, restoration is even more severe than 50% degradation.

Not to be alarmist.  Just food for thought.

  

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Post Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:57 pm 
 

darkseraphim

well said and very well put.... I agree.

  


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Post Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 1:57 pm 
 

Darn you are right :)

I might say now that I will never start to sell me private collection but who knows what happens in 15 years...arghl! Ok you got me. I'll keep the staples in and let this thread die.

And I think I'll never tell anyone that I had an internet forum discussion with other people about rusty staples...otherwise someone might call the shrink and push me into a "stabilisation session"  :?

  


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Post Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:22 am 
 

Don't you also think that it might be just a bit on the obvious side if something has brand-new looking staples - but has rust marks left on the paper, or inside the cover where the original staples rubbed?

  
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