Print Lines on Pokémon Cards: Do They Kill Your Grade?

Tilt a holo under light and you may see a faint straight line running across the foil. That is often a print line — and it confuses a lot of collectors who wonder if their "mint" card is actually flawed.

What a print line is

Print lines are manufacturing artifacts from the printing process. They usually appear as thin, straight interruptions in the holo pattern. Unlike a scratch, they were on the card when it left the factory.

How graders tend to treat them

Grading companies generally consider print lines part of surface quality. Severity and location matter: a heavy line through the face of a Charizard hurts more than a faint line near the border. Policies and strictness can vary by company and era, so think in terms of "how obvious is it" rather than a single universal rule.

Print line vs scratch

• Print line — usually straight, consistent with the print direction, visible in the foil pattern.
• Scratch — often irregular, may catch light differently, and can be from handling after the pack.

Learning the difference helps you describe a card honestly when buying or selling.

Should you still submit?

A light print line does not automatically make grading pointless, but it can cap a gem-mint hope. If your goal is a 10, be honest about how visible the line is under good light.

Catch surface issues early

Surface defects are easy to miss in a quick glance. Cardemon analyzes surface from your photos and includes it in the sub-grade breakdown, so print-line-prone holos get a second set of eyes before you pay to submit.