PSA - Professional Sports Authenticator Printing Defects and Variations Questions and Answers

Question 1

A grader is evaluating a modern chrome card and observes a faint, perfectly straight, hairline scratch running vertically across the entire card front.
This defect can only be seen when tilting the card in the light.
Which printing defect does this describe?

Accepted Answer

A roller mark

Answer

A surface scratch from handling

Answer

A print line

Answer

A die-cut line

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios describes a printing variation that is LEAST likely to be penalized with a lower numerical grade by PSA?

Accepted Answer

A well-known rookie card that has a specific, documented print line present on every known copy.

Answer

A card with a single, sharp 'fish eye' print dot on the player's face.

Answer

A card from a set known for 'print snow' that exhibits a moderate amount across the main image.

Answer

A card with a significant, but aesthetically interesting, color shift resulting in a green sky instead of blue.

Question 3

A collector submits a card that has the correct player image on the front, but the back contains the statistics and biographical information for a different player from the same set. How would PSA most likely categorize this item?

Accepted Answer

As a Wrong Back error

Answer

As a standard card with a severe Print Defect (PD)

Answer

As a Blank Back error

Answer

As an ungradable card due to factory misprinting

Question 4

A grader identifies a small, circular area on a card's surface where the ink has failed to adhere, creating a tiny, uncolored dot. This common defect is widely known in the hobby as a:

Accepted Answer

Fish eye

Answer

Roller mark

Answer

Print snow

Answer

Surface dimple

Question 5

During an evaluation of a vintage card, a grader notes that the four-color printing process was not perfectly aligned, causing a slightly blurry or shadowed effect around the player's image. Which PSA qualifier or grading description best fits this flaw?

Accepted Answer

Out of Focus / Out of Register

Answer

Print Defect (PD)

Answer

Staining (ST)

Answer

Miscut (MC)

Question 6

Which of the following is considered a printing 'variation' rather than a simple printing 'defect'?

Accepted Answer

The 1990 Topps Frank Thomas card missing the name on the front.

Answer

A 1990 Topps card with a single magenta print dot in the border.

Answer

A 2020 Prizm card with a prominent roller mark across the front.

Answer

A 1985 Topps card with a wax stain on the reverse.