Condition of Pokemon Cards - Is This Normal?

[darkpulse24]

I bought two FA cards (of the same Pokemon) from a seller on eBay and they arrived today. I've used this seller before and had no problems with the cards I get. The cards I bought were advertised as new, mint etc - that's what you expect from card dealers on eBay anyway. If they are used, it says so.

Well this might have a bearing on the matter since I'm really, really particular about the condition of my cards. But I don't think I'm wrong in this case. I just want to know if the details I'm describing can be normal in 'pack fresh' cards.

• On both of the cards there are 2-3 very small blotches on the artwork, almost like stains. I've tried gently scratching them to see if they would come off but they didn't.
• On one of the cards, parts of the emboss etching (the grooves) look like they have some wear as some of the ink is faded, showing the black underneath.

These details are only noticed looking really close up. I would take photos but I don't think they'd be very effective in showing you. When I open up booster packs and get an EX or FA I don't expect that and have never had those blemishes like that on cards before. Sometimes when I open a booster pack there is slight fraying of the card edges (noticeable if you look at the back and see bits of white on the sides) but I don't mind that as it is normal from the packaging and handling.

But I don't think I can live with the marks I've described above (again I am really nitpicky about card conditions, but I'm not alone in that). Well, have you ever pulled cards that have blemishes similar to what I described above? Maybe, just maybe, those small blotches are from the printing. But I highly doubt the second thing I described could happen by itself in a booster pack. I would imagine the card has been played before, unsleeved, and the friction of rubbing against other cards and being handled with fingers and thumbs a lot could wear out the FA etching. I wouldn't know as I keep my cards in pristine condition in sleeves or folders all the time and I don't handle them roughly while playing.

I don't know...maybe tomorrow I'll take some photos and see if they show the problems better than I can explain them. Have you known cards to have these sorts of marks straight from the booster?

 

[Athena]

I know that production values for English language cards have been greatly going downhill for the last few years. I've noticed it starting with BW, myself. Thankfully, I've never had any issues aside from miscutting in regards to the FAs that I've pulled, but I've pulled holos and RHs out of the pack with some weird damage.

However, if the cards were described as "Mint", your description certainly sounds like the cards are definitely not mint (regardless of whether the card damage came from the pack or not) and therefore you should probably get in touch with the seller.

 

[My Little Keldeo]

I agree with Athena here. This is between you and the seller, who described the cards as mint, and it wasn't up to your standards. It is possibel that he seller didn't notice the blotches- as you said they can only be seen from close up, but I do expect someone have that kind of accuracy if they are claiming the cards are "mint condition." I have however noticed that occasionally cards can have scratches on them when when pulled out of the pack. Last year I pulled an FA Skyla that had a nice little nick in the foil. If the seller claims he or she pulled the cards directly from packs, and took care of them, you could try getting in contact with tPCI (good luck with that though). I'm not sure what their policy is on damaged cards, though I doubt they'll go right ahead and replace them.

 

[Maserati777]

I opened a pack and got a Dragonite Full Art with a black spot on the artwork. It was clearly a printing error. It's not big, it's over the background and imo it's kind of unique.

I've also opened a booster box with a full art that had small white dots all over the back of the card, I think this is a printing error related to the full art texture used.

Every Keldeo Ex I've pulled, 1 from a pack and 2 from different booster boxes all had the same edgeware in the same location. It's on the front so it's very noticeable.

I'd assume sellers can label cards that have printing errors such as miscuts or ink spots on the picture as mint. However if the cards have finger prints or edgeware or extreme miscuts or creases or scratches then they can't list them as mint even straight out of the pack. So depending on what the first one is I think I had the sme problem with my Dragonite, but the second one sounds like a good enough reason to contact the seller.

Were there pictures of the cards on ebay which is what everyday people use or just factory pics like most ebay stores use.