Hi all! Thought this would be interesting to discuss. I’ve encountered too many crazy holo bleeds to ignore, so I’m wondering which is the most prominent one you have!
A holo bleed usually refers to either standard holos (non-ultra rares) and reverse holos having a thinner top layer than intended, resulting in the lower foil layer showing through parts of the card not intended to be seen in. Here are examples:
This is probably my favorite holo bleed, but I wouldn’t consider it the most egregious:
Gen 4 (and some late Gen 3) holo bleeds were something else, man.
On one hand, they could look cool under certain lighting conditions:
But more often than not they would look splotchy or dirty because, under “normal” lighting conditions, the cosmos holofoil objects would peak out from underneath like so:
Great idea for a thread. Wonderful images! Really strong bleeds there, they look fantastic.
Here’s my favourite. Quad-swirl holo-bleed Venusaur, which I actively bought for the swirl-bleed. One of my favourite artworks too.
This looks amazing, congrats!
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Never actively collected these but I do find them cool so here’s my two pretty simple ones.
The rumble pika card is not nearly as bleedy but it’s pretty obvious in person.
The MacDonald’s one is like all the others notorious holo bleed. I have a clean one too but I like the way the confetti holo looks on this one.
The confetti holo bleed is so striking! Never seen those before
I think those heavy holo bleeds have a whole extra holo layer on top. They look/feel so different
Is that so?
My understanding is that the holofoil is underneath everything else and so would only show through if the top layer with the art and stuff had a problem.
They look really cool, but I’d still rather not have the holo bleed through. The foil that we’ve recently gotten on the SV series Pokemon ex cards with the stars on top of everything else is neat (and Japan has been doing it for a long time now); I wouldn’t getting more deliberate holofoil on entire cards like this.
With the DP holo bleeds it feels like the layer is on top of the rest. I might be wrong ofcourse, but thats how it looks to me. I like the holo bleeds on the vintage stuff to be honest
Holo bleeds are a result of a thinner opaque white layer that blocks out or masks the holo underneath less efficiently. The holofoil is on the cardstock and is pretty much always the lowest layer (i.e. beneath all the ink). I think there are some exceptions to the holofoil only on the bottom, but they’re rare.
Thanks for the additional info. Some are definatly rarer than others though, secret wonders is very common
Yeah, Secret Wonders is very well known to have holo bleed. Personally, I like the look of holo bleed and am glad Jumpluff was in the set, so I could pick up a holo bleed Jumpluff 
Funny how the thread title and description mentions: ‘What are the worst holo bleed cards you own?’ and everyone posted their favorites thus far. 
So let’s start with my favorite:
RH Generation Pikachu with holo bleed onto the artwork itself:
As for the other holo bleed Pikachu I own, they’re not too noteworthy. In my experience, a lot of XY/SM/SwSh era cards are all with holo bleed, and in most cases I’ve yet to find any copy without holo bleed for my collection.. 
Here the Pikachu I have pictures of from my collection thread, although I do have more from the later sets/eras. Except maybe those first two Cosmos HGSS promos, I’d consider all of them pretty bad holo bleeds tbh:
I also have these two Sequin holofoil Pikachu with what I’d like to call Shadowing, since the ‘holo bleed’ symbols aren’t holo at all, despite being visible across the entire card:
Greetz,
Quuador
Thank you! It might be coincidence but I feel there are fewer strong bleeds on vintage cards compared to modern. I was lucky to snag it a few years ago before the crazy boom we are currently experiencing.
Oh yeah sorry if the title of the thread is confusing!! I’m wondering if I should change it to “Best holo bleeds”…
Great bleeds as well! What you mentioned about shadowing is interesting because I’ve seen a lot of vintage holos (especially e-Series) with such shadowing as opposed to modern
I think the current title is fine but I see what they mean.
I think the spirit of the thread is something along the lines of “Most distinct” or “Most intense" or even just “Show me your holo bleeds”.
My expedition charizard holo is holo bleed. One of my favs.
Thanks for the advice! Hopefully this new title is more fitting
