Condition of cards from theme decks (WotC-era)?

[zorloth]

How does the condition of cards from theme decks compare to those from booster packs? I’m referring to, of course, pack/deck fresh cards. Are the odds of grading a card in PSA 10 better for cards from one or the other? My intuition would tell me that theme decks would give better PSA 10 odds since the cards don’t have nearly as much room to shift around, but I’ve never opened a WotC-era theme deck (or at least not since like 2003). So I’d like to hear from someone with firsthand experience opening WotC-era theme decks. Are the PSA 10 odds roughly the same or is there a quality difference?

[zubat93]

TCA Gaming has opened quite a few theme decks, and they are usually in pretty bad condition. Awful centering, printlines and glue stuck on the surface.

[kingboo64]

@zorloth, I opened 2 water blast decks for the vaporeon and the cards look like 8-10s. 1 vaporeon was super clean but had some minor slivering that jungle is famous for, the other is absolutely covered in print lines. I think the problems that @zubat93 mentioned are only for shadowless

[thane]

@kingboo64

@zorloth , I opened 2 water blast decks for the vaporeon and the cards look like 8-10s. 1 vaporeon was super clean but had some minor slivering that jungle is famous for, the other is absolutely covered in print lines. I think the problems that @zubat93 mentioned are only for shadowless

I had the same experience, graded a Water Blast Vaporeon and it got a 9.

[zorloth]

@zubat93

TCA Gaming has opened quite a few theme decks, and they are usually in pretty bad condition. Awful centering, printlines and glue stuck on the surface.

This applies to the non-holos as well? I’ve heard this about the holos, but not the non-holos.

[zorloth]

@kingboo64

@zorloth , I opened 2 water blast decks for the vaporeon and the cards look like 8-10s. 1 vaporeon was super clean but had some minor slivering that jungle is famous for, the other is absolutely covered in print lines. I think the problems that @zubat93 mentioned are only for shadowless

How was the quality of the non-holos?

[kingboo64]

@zorloth

@kingboo64

@zorloth , I opened 2 water blast decks for the vaporeon and the cards look like 8-10s. 1 vaporeon was super clean but had some minor slivering that jungle is famous for, the other is absolutely covered in print lines. I think the problems that @zubat93 mentioned are only for shadowless

How was the quality of the non-holos?

8-10, here’s some pictures for reference. I’m going to buy a zap deck as well, I’ll let you know once I open it
docs.google.com/document/d/1AGUbK6nMWJuBd3-BGDfhO_GiRKKRMjZQBaDFVgLx2pk/edit

[snowy]

I have opened ~25 Fossil LockDown theme decks and none of the holos would get a 10. A majority would be 8/9s and a few 7s. Too many print lines/scratches, silvering, and poor centering. Whitening on edges and corners were not a huge issue for the holos.
The non holos have a better chance at 10s, but it’s still not guaranteed, due to chances of whitening on edges and corners.

[alakazamthat]

Bought a sealed rocket theme deck to grade Abra and Kadabra. The holo got one print line and non holo probably could get 9-10

[zorloth]

I figured I’d just ask this here instead of making a new thread: is anyone familiar with the 2007 Epic Collection decks and the condition of the cards that come from it? Basically: are cards from Nintendo-era theme decks better, worse, or comparable quality as those from WotC-era theme decks?