PSA "Flow Lines": Affecting Even Pokémon Cards Now?!

Grading
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Hi everyone,

I’d like to bring up a topic again that stirred up quite a bit of discussion at PSA about a year ago – back then it was mostly about sports cards. I’m talking about the so-called “flow lines.” At first these only showed up with the newer slabs labeled “1LR+,” but lately they’ve become a real issue with the “1LR” slabs as well.

So what exactly are we talking about here? During the encapsulation process, tiny hairline cracks can appear in the case. While they don’t damage the card itself, they are very noticeable and seriously affect the overall appearance. As a result, they can also impact the value, since many collectors naturally prefer a flawless case without visible imperfections. Here’s a good YouTube video that addressed this issue about a year ago.

Back then, PSA actually stopped using the new slabs after a month and massive complaints from the community (see PSA’s Twitter statement).

However, in recent weeks, there have been more and more reports across different forums that this issue has now also started to affect the grading of Pokémon cards. As examples, I’d like to point to the following Reddit posts:

Reddit 1

Reddit 2

Unfortunately, I’ve run into this problem myself. Every card from my latest PSA submission has these flaws, which is really disappointing. I sent them in through a European middleman, and now I’m torn about whether I should push for a reholder on all of them or just let it go. From what I’ve seen in different posts, PSA will sometimes do a free reholder, but other times they don’t since they don’t really see it as an issue. Anyway, here are some pics of my latest submission.

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Have you experienced this issue yourselves? How did you deal with it? Would it even bother you, or not really? And why is PSA’s quality control so careless in this regard? I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts on this.

PS: The worst part of my last submission was a huge piece of lint that, in addition to the flow line mentioned above, ended up sealed in the case right next to the card number of my 1997 Mt. Fuji Surfing Pikachu. Seeing one of my absolute favorite cards ruined like that was really upsetting. I’ve already reached out to my middleman about it.

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I’ve purchased quite a few new cert cards recently and this was an issue on 2 out of the 10. It’s unsightly for sure but not sure it ultimately bugged me that much. I would agree it’s definitely an issue PSA should be making a bigger deal about though

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Hello, thank you very much for your reply. I actually find the new “1LR” slabs significantly better in terms of feel. They are considerably heavier than the traditional “21” slabs, which gives a more premium impression. It is indeed reassuring to hear that, while you also see this as a flaw, you don’t consider it a deal-breaker for your own collection. In fact, for a card displayed on a shelf, it’s hardly noticeable—you really have to look closely. Nevertheless, I find it strange that quality control simply lets these slabs pass. After all, you are paying for a service that is then not carried out with the necessary care.

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Till today the white square defect still appears in PSA slabs, and it is quite common. Won’t be surprised if this defect mentioned is here to stay.

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That’s certainly true! I hadn’t thought about that flaw. Nevertheless, I don’t understand why such obvious issues aren’t being fixed and properly addressed. Sure, PSA relies on generating as much profit as possible, but is it really that difficult to produce decent slabs at a reasonable price and ensure that everything runs smoothly during the grading process? I’m not usually one to join in on the general bashing of PSA, but the acronym “Please Submit Again” seems to be increasingly accurate.

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The reality is because they don’t need to. Fixing this small manufacturing error won’t impact their bottom line. PSA is a juggernaut with an almost ‘too large to fail’ status. In contrast, I believe that the issue highlighted below needs addressing or it could cause serious reputational damage.

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Thanks a lot for your response and the heads-up. I hadn’t seen that video before. If it turns out that all—or even most—of the new slabs with the 1LR serial number can be opened that easily, it would really be a scandal and basically open the door wide for scammers.

If PSA doesn’t agree to a reholder of my Mt. Fuji-Surfing-Pikachu, I might even try opening the case myself, removing the lint, and resubmitting it. Of course, I’d make sure to film the whole process and take a close look at the new slabs and the scratches on the corners.

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Ive only seen this video showing this kind of opening. Has it been confirmed to happen to more than a small batch?

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Another e4 user was able to recreate it with his slab. It’s hard to know how many were impacted so far.

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