Do you think this card is trimmed?

General Question
1

I have two WOTC-era cards that look slightly off, and I’m trying to understand whether this is normal manufacturing tolerance or something that might indicate trimming.

Card 1 (Gen 1)

  • Noticeably large top gap in the PSA case.
  • When the card settles, the gap becomes quite pronounced.
  • Main concern: the top border (already the thinnest) has an oddly shaped right corner and visible roughness along the top edge.

Card 2 (Gen 1 — sequential cert to Card 1, same card/set, most likely from the same submission)

  • On the scan the the gap looks less dramatic due to positioning.
  • When shaken and settled to the bottom, it shows a gap similar to Card 1.
  • I compared Card 1 and 2 using a 600-dpi scan, and they match exactly in height and width.

Card 3 (Gen 2 — control, unrelated submission)

  • Measures 0.25–0.35% taller than Cards 1 and 2 (≈0.22–0.31 mm on an 88 mm card).
  • Width essentially the same.
  • Visually no gap in the PSA case, unlike Cards 1/2.

Question

Given these measurements and the visual issues on Card 1 (corner shape + top-edge roughness), are these differences within normal WOTC manufacturing tolerances,
or do Cards 1 & 2 appear potentially trimmed?

What worries me is that I have about 200 PSA cards and none of them have a gap as big as those two cards. They look more similar to my control card.

.

70
701912×2509 602 KB

71
711878×2471 591 KB

controlentei
controlentei1720×2342 497 KB

2

The gap in the slab could be a PSA problem. I have 50+ card orders with a few of them that rattle around while the other cards are secured down tightly. So even within the same batch, the plastic has variations. Let alone different eras of grading.

2 Likes
3

Pm sent

4

Do you have any other WOTC cards from the #1/2 submission that have a correctly-sized case/card? PSA slabs do have tolerances which can lead to a bit more wiggle room in some slabs than others.

Honestly #1’s edges and corners look fine to me

1 Like