| name | recoloring-detection |
| description | Use when inspecting a card suspected of having recolored borders, ink, or surface. Common restoration in 1980s-90s on vintage.
|
Recoloring Detection
Recoloring touches up ink to hide whitening or scratches. Detection: ink density mismatch, UV response, microscope inspection, and grader's standard authentication pass.
Recoloring signals
- Uneven ink density at color boundaries
- Ink appears 'flat' (no original printing layer pattern)
- UV fluorescence different from rest of card
- Microscope view: brush strokes visible on the recolored area
- Color slightly off-shade vs comp images of pristine examples
Common recoloring patterns
- Black border touch-up on Pokemon (Charizard #4)
- Red border recolor on T206
- Yellow background fill on 1952 Topps
- Player image touch-up on Mantle, Ruth, Wagner
Penalty schedule
Detected recoloring:
- Authenticated, NOT graded (no number)
- Auction houses reject
- Resale 30-60% off comparable clean grade
- Some auction houses 'recolored' label sells but at deep discount
Where this fits in the X3 empire
Sentry tool flags suspected recoloring via color-uniformity analysis.