Cards Restoration

Scraping

Steppa con danni da abrasione Steppa restaurata

Scraping, abrasion, and surface scratches can make cards more susceptible to further damage: in areas where part of the paper is missing, the structure is weaker and more prone to wrinkling or tearing, which can further deteriorate their condition.
In addition, the loss of weight and grammage of the paper can make them unsuitable for tournament playing. When professionally restored, cards can regain their playability as well as their original aesthetic appearance.

Waterdamage and molding

Bayou con danni da acqua e muffe Bayou restaurato

Damage caused by water is a particularly insidious form of cellulose degradation. The cardboard of Magic: The Gathering cards contains an adhesive that gives the card its proper stiffness; prolonged immersion in water will dissolve the adhesive, making the card soft to the touch and unplayable. In addition, the presence of contaminants can lead to the formation of mould, which can spread and damage the rest of your collection.
Mould disinfection is essential to solve the problem and make your collection safe to play again. Localised consolidation can also be used to restore the original stiffness without compromising flexibility.

Losses

Isola tropicale con lacune isola tropicale restaurata

Magic: The Gathering cards often have worn corners and brittle edges. Sometimes they can be completely torn in several parts.
This type of damage makes the cards ineligible for competitive play in sanctioned tournaments, as it can be detected by the player's touch.
This type of restoration also requires professionals in the field and the appropriate equipment. Once restored, the cards can be safely shuffled back into the deck, having regained their original appearance and tournament legality.

Restoring your damaged Magic: the Gathering cards can increase the value of your collection!

Annalisa Forghieri is a professional restorer who graduated with honours from the Faculty of Restoration of Cultural Heritage at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, specialising in paper, parchment and photographic museum material.

The professional restoration of Magic: The Gathering cards is done in a laboratory using techniques and instruments usually applyed at museum artworks. After being restored, cards that were badly damaged and unplayable go from having no market to being traded and sold as before.

The cards can then be played in tournaments, having regained their original weight, thickness, rigidity and flexibility.

In addition to the structural restoration, it is also possible to carry out a pictorial retouching in accordance with the missing areas and the most obvious damages, so that the card is aesthetically perfect again.