Will movement in PSA cards cause damage? (Rattlers)

Came across this interesting experiment on youtube.
The youtuber tested card movement in different scenarios to determine if there is any surface damage/holo scratches after shaking/intense movements.

Interesting.

Did not watch the video, but I have watched a video before testing it and yes it can cause damage. But it is not likely unless you store your cards in a running paint mixer.

3 Likes

Not quite sure why youā€™re posting this unrelated video, especially when the dude has done a test with a lego build shaking his slabs. The outcome was pretty clear, nothing you will realistically do in your lifetime will hurt the cards inside the slabs. That being said I think you should handle slabs with care (and most of us do).

2 Likes

I think that video you linked is more of testing edge damage from the bumpers in the psa slabs. This video I shared investigates surface damage.

Not that iā€™m trying to prove anything, just sharing this video I found interesting :blush:

I see, so purely damage to holographic surface from movement inside a case. A company like BGS will have you believe that this happens and that is why they put your card in a sleeve before putting it in a slab. Iā€™ve never seen or heard anyone complain about holoscratches caused by movement inside of a slab. I think the plastic used for slabs is generally of a higher quality than that of for example toploaders, combined with the minimal movement and the lack of pressure I think the odds of any visible scratches appearing are very small.

Only some of my cards seem to move around in the PSA case and itā€™s very minor. Unless you violently shake them around, it seems very unlikely it would ever cause any real damage to the card. I believe someone on this forum have done tests and couldnā€™t cause any damage to the cards.

Also, that ā€˜damageā€™ to the Chansey in the video looks like factory lines and not from the sleeve.

2 Likes

Unless you plan on using your PSA-graded card as a frisbee, youā€™ll be fine.

2 Likes

The length of scratches that are supposed to be there after shaking is much longer than the movement of the card in the slab. So my guess is that those scratches were there before, and he didnā€™t pick it up in the ā€œbeforeā€ video, because he slightly missed the angle for them to be visible.

If there would be scratches as a result of shaking, I would expect their length to be similar to the distance cards can move within the case. I would also expect them not to be deeps scratches, assuming there are no big foreign particles in the slab. I would probably expect some very superficial scratches, resulting in a milky-looking area. But I havenā€™t noticed that in the video.

So I guess even if cards are shaken in a laboratory setting and not in real world setting, there are no significant scratches on the holo surface.

But this guy has shown that in a laboratory setting, there can be damage to the edges of a card. But I guess in a real world setting, it would be hard to reproduce.

So in summary, I think there is no concern for any damages due to movement in the slab when handling the cards in the real world (such as shipping or dropping a case on the floor ā€¦)

1 Like

I was thinking of storing my psa cards in a perpetual tornado, but this has changed my mind

6 Likes

I have a really old psa 8 from my childhood which seems to have significant damage on the edges that really seems like it was created while in the case and not before grading. Iā€™ll post pics later.

Aslong as it really unlikely in normale use then thatā€™s all I care about. Never planned on throwing PSA cards around or toss them in a whirlpool

Regarding scratches and stuff, itā€™s less likely to be caused by the case and more likely caused by some remnant of something accidentally left in the case before sealing. Some of you may have seen my PSA 10 1st edition neo genesis metal energy woth a massive scratch that I sold a half year ago or so. I couldnā€™t tell if it was a case scratch or a holo scratch. I was 60/40 that it was holo scratch and sold it with all that knowledge known that it was a gamble. Either way. The scratch was 100% caused after sealing. Whether on case or card, it wasnā€™t there immediately after grading and appeared after a bit of time sitting unmoving in my safe. Likely a piece of dust/dirt or something that slowly moved downwards over time leaving a scratch behind.