How to remove sports cards glued into a scrapbook?

[TommyCanuck]

Greetings all! I'm a new member and this is my first post. This looks like a great site!

I've owned 97 of a 110 card set of 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys” Hockey Cards since new when I was 9 y/o. Only recently did I research to find out that Tall Boys are pretty valuable and although I plan to buy the remaining cards (most of which I believe are not costly), I have a big problem.

In 1965, I made the mistake of gluing the cards into one of those large scrapbooks with the light-weight beige paper using “Elmer’s Glue” (the small clear bottle with the angled rubber dispenser top). To add to the problem, the cards are glued to both sides of a sheet.

Regardless of how successful the removal outcome might be, I have no intent to sell. Rather, I plan to appropriately mount them and display in my rec room. The backs with the player stats are obviously at greatest risk of not being able to safely remove the paper and this will impact how I approach the display (to show just the fronts or both sides).

I ask for advice about what I may be able to do to remove the cards from the paper, obviously without, or as little damage as possible. This may be something I should not perform myself, and if so, what local "professional" should I deal with (i.e. book restorer seems obvious, but perhaps there are others).

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

[LakersMC]

Go to a scrapbooking store. They sell this stuff called "Goo Gone". Scrapbookers use it to remove glued-on scraps from scrapbooks. It is supposed to dissolve the glue without damaging the paper. You might want to try it on one card first. Potential problems to watch for:
1. Water damage.
2. Residual glue left.

I have used it myself, and it works for me.

BTW, welcome to the site. And, yes, the Tall Boy set is worth trying to salvage.

[Marleyrx7]

Getting old cards out of a scrapbook is very easy. Just soak the cards in water. If done correctly you should not be able to tell that the card once resided in a scrapbook. If your interested in learning more, post a reply, and I'll give you step by step instructions.

If you have no plans to resell, may I recommend keeping them in the original scrapbook. It makes a much more interesting display piece. You can go on Ebay and find hundreds of Tallboy's, but how many do you see that are in the original scrapbook, collected by the original collector?

[TommyCanuck]

Getting old cards out of a scrapbook is very easy. Just soak the cards in water. If done correctly you should not be able to tell that the card once resided in a scrapbook. If your interested in learning more, post a reply, and I'll give you step by step instructions.

If you have no plans to resell, may I recommend keeping them in the original scrapbook. It makes a much more interesting display piece. You can go on Ebay and find hundreds of Tallboy's, but how many do you see that are in the original scrapbook, collected by the original collector?

Thanks for the advice. Soak in water? Really? I would've thought that would destroy them. Won't the cardboard swell and not return to original form (changes in cell/fiber structure)? Perhaps yes, but not enough to show? Yes, I am interested in any instructions you're offering to provide. Thanks for that!

As to leaving in the scrapbook, thanks for the suggestion, but it's really old and falling apart, was very cheap and uninspiring as far as scrapbooks go, and contains lots of other pasted-in items. Besides, I prefer a display of some kind rather than a "coffee table"-type book.

[Marleyrx7]

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