I have a PSA grade 9 base set charizard which I recieved through the post today, the card looks perfect but upon further inspection there is a strange blob or defect on the holofoil and I’m not sure what it is, wether it’s a problem with the psa case (though cleaning the surface didnt do anything so its definitely not a surface blemish) or it’s a defect the card has had since it was made - Please see the links for pictures - Thanks for the advice in advance!
Hey there!
Two possible scenarios. It’s either something the grader missed (happens), or it could be that the grader noticed it and deemed that it deserved the 9 grade with this flaw.
I think I’ve seen something similar on one of my own cards before. It could be a type of dirt on the card? Maybe it’s a printing defect? I’m not sure exactly sure what it is.
Keep in mind a PSA 10 card is not necessarily a perfect card and allows for a minor flaw. A PSA 9 is a card that allows for a little bit more than that minor flaw 
Not sure, but my best guess is that it’s some kind of thing that was neglected before they sealed the card. They damaged one of my PSA 10 cards because they left a bit of dirt or something in the case and it scratched up the foil surface bad. I don’t think there is any advice to give, however. If that was on the card prior to inspection, I kind of doubt it would have made it through and gotten a 9, but I may be incorrect if the rest is absolutely flawless. I don’t feel it’s worth sending it back to get a regrade. But that’s my own opinion.
But wow, what camera are you using?! Those photos are ridiculously detailed!
Thanks for the replies guys, at least its not massively visible but it may become a bit annoying in the long run now that I know its there and the exact location of it.
As for my camera its the camera on my phone, the samsung galaxy S10 and I was suprised at how good the camera on it was too, my old phone took really poor quality photos.
In the end this is something you will have to decide for yourself, and how much it bothers you.
There’s some very wise well-known words here on the forums “buy the card, not the grade”. I’ve come to worship those words with time.
Sound like words to live by. I wouldn’t have purchased the card if I was aware of the defect. It didnt show up at all on the eBay photos though sadly, I suppose worst case I can just re-sell it and buy a different one
I noticed the same on a Pidgeot I just received.
I dunno if it bothers me enough the try and crack it and clean it.
Are you sure the mark is not on the case? I have some PSA slabs that have marks that really look like they’re on the card, but are actually on the inside of the case. The way I noticed was because if I gently tap the card up or down in the slab(the card can usually move a few millimeters), the mark doesn’t move with the card. It’s still annoying to have the mark there, but at least I know that the card is not damaged.
Maybe this is the case for your Charizard? If you try to tap it up/down, it’s important to have a good reference point so you know if the mark moved with the card. You can use the “star” in the holo pattern to the left of the mark.
PS. Damn those photos
At first glance it looks like a normal holo defect. I haven’t seen that type of defect on the inside of a PSA case before either, not that that wouldn’t be possible.
Also, that small of a defect would be within PSA 9 parameters.
I’ve seen friends pull holos with those light ‘blobs’
just wotc quality control lol. And AFAIK it is not really possible to remove those blobs(I guess you could try but you’d probably just end up damaging the card/holo.) Since it slightly detracts from the visual appeal, I would say that’s why your card missed out on the gem mint 10