Q: Most effective way to check for wrinkles

bking · December 13, 2010 3:13AM

I've been using a combination of a great lamp, a 4x magnifying glass, and a 10x loupe for spot-checking, yet the wrinkle police really got me on my Nov sub.

Any suggestions as to how others catch them? Or is it just time to check my eyes again?

hammered · December 13, 2010 4:20AM

It's tough. Make sure you look around the border as well. I sometimes tend to look only on the image and have missed some on the borders.

jmoran19 · December 13, 2010 4:26AM

Hold the card under a light and then tilt till you see mostly the gloss and not the image, wrinkles usually show up for me using this method.

gemint · December 13, 2010 4:28AM

The best way to spot surface wrinkles is not with a loupe, but rather a bright lamp. Hold the card at an angle so the light reflects off the sheen of the card. Tilt the card around a few different angles and scour the surface. That should allow you to detect any wrinkle on the front surface. Wrinkles on the reverse can sometimes be more difficult to detect. I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. After cracking it again and inspecting it in great detail, I saw that it had a very light wrinkle in the stat box (white area) on the back. Even now, when I forget where that wrinkle is, it takes me a few minutes to relocate it.

bking · December 13, 2010 4:37AM

Just to be clear, I use the lamp and the 4x glass to do exactly what John describes - tilting the image around and looking for any that way. I mostly use the loupe to check anything I "think" I see a little more closely. I'm sure once the open the box tonight at home, I'll spot them right away, but sometimes I just can't see them at all through the slab.

Dboneesq · December 13, 2010 4:39AM

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF".

Hallco · December 13, 2010 4:55AM

Great thread. I wish there were more like this. Collectors helping each other with card inspection techniques, etc...Thanks!

bking · December 13, 2010 5:00AM

<< 

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF". >>

Nah, I don't see this as "poof-worthy". Yeah, looks like a grader missed a wrinkle the first time - it happens - but the more times a card is reviewed, the more likely they'll get it right IMO.

gemint · December 13, 2010 5:11AM

<< 

<< 

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF". >>

Nah, I don't see this as "poof-worthy". Yeah, looks like a grader missed a wrinkle the first time - it happens - but the more times a card is reviewed, the more likely they'll get it right IMO. >>

It was tough to see but it's definitely there. I do think it was a case of the original grader missing the wrinkle. Maybe if I resubbed it a dozen times it would eventually come back as an 8 or 9. However, I wouldn't want the card in a high grade holder knowing it has a wrinkle.

MULLINS5 · December 13, 2010 5:18AM

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

I have had the exact same thing happen to me twice.

Different seller though.

mtcards · December 13, 2010 6:25AM

The thread will not go poof unless someone mentions that ********* is shilling their auctions

cwazzy · December 13, 2010 6:34AM

<< 

<< 

<< 

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF". >>

Nah, I don't see this as "poof-worthy". Yeah, looks like a grader missed a wrinkle the first time - it happens - but the more times a card is reviewed, the more likely they'll get it right IMO. >>

It was tough to see but it's definitely there. I do think it was a case of the original grader missing the wrinkle. Maybe if I resubbed it a dozen times it would eventually come back as an 8 or 9. However, I wouldn't want the card in a high grade holder knowing it has a wrinkle. >>

I was under the impression that a card with a wrinkle cannot get higher than a 5. If that's the case then there is probably another flaw that is bringing it down to a 6.

bking · December 13, 2010 6:40AM

<< I was under the impression that a card with a wrinkle cannot get higher than a 5. If that's the case then there is probably another flaw that is bringing it down to a 6. >>

That's my impresssion too, but the Grading Standards don't even mention a wrinkle per se. The mention a "light crease may be visible" in the Vg-EX 4 description, but nothing in any higher grade criteria that I can find. They mention that a 6 can have "visible surface wear or a printing defect that does not detract from its overall appeal", yet a wrinkle virtually invisible to the naked eye caps out at a 5.

Le sigh....

PlayBall · December 13, 2010 7:00AM

My experience with surface wrinkles is that one on the front gets you a 5, and one on the back can get you a 6. This is in no way absolute, just what I've noticed on my submissions.

Dboneesq · December 13, 2010 7:09AM

<< 

<< 

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF". >>

Nah, I don't see this as "poof-worthy". Yeah, looks like a grader missed a wrinkle the first time - it happens - but the more times a card is reviewed, the more likely they'll get it right IMO. >>

I was speaking about the reference to WIWAG

bking · December 13, 2010 7:22AM

<< 

<< 

<< 

<< I have a 1969 Kaline that I bought from WIWAG in a PSA 8 holder. The card looked like a 9, so I cracked it out and resubbed it. It came back a 6. >>

In before the "POOF". >>

Nah, I don't see this as "poof-worthy". Yeah, looks like a grader missed a wrinkle the first time - it happens - but the more times a card is reviewed, the more likely they'll get it right IMO. >>

I was speaking about the reference to WIWAG >>

Wow, that reference flew right past me. Good times....

minnesotahusker · December 13, 2010 8:03AM

Am I the only one who doesn't know what WIWAG is?

Hallco · December 13, 2010 8:19AM

<< Am I the only one who doesn't know what WIWAG is? >>

no!

Dboneesq · December 13, 2010 8:43AM

<< Am I the only one who doesn't know what WIWAG is? >>

Google two words: WIWAG cards

ndleo · December 14, 2010 2:39AM

I bought a 1981 T Montana PSA 8 from WIWAG. I sold it when I traded up to a PSA 9. It looked fair to me.

The one thing that I was never clear on, did they crack and switch or did they fake holders? I looked at the edge of my PSA 8 and never saw any evidence of cracking.

Q: Most effective way to check for wrinkles

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