PSA - Professional Sports Authenticator Printing Defects and Variations Questions and Answers 1 — 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?
- A surface scratch from handling
- A print line
- A roller mark (Correct answer)
- A die-cut line
Correct answer: A roller mark
A roller mark is a factory defect caused by the printing machinery, often appearing as a perfectly straight hairline scratch or indentation across the card. A print line is typically an issue with ink application, not a physical indentation. A surface scratch from handling is usually not perfectly straight, and a die-cut line relates to the cutting process, not a surface flaw.
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?
- A card with a single, sharp 'fish eye' print dot on the player's face.
- A card from a set known for 'print snow' that exhibits a moderate amount across the main image.
- A well-known rookie card that has a specific, documented print line present on every known copy. (Correct answer)
- A card with a significant, but aesthetically interesting, color shift resulting in a green sky instead of blue.
Correct answer: A well-known rookie card that has a specific, documented print line present on every known copy.
If a specific printing flaw is documented and accepted as being present on every known copy of a card (e.g., the 1984 Topps Don Mattingly rookie), PSA will not downgrade the card for that specific defect. Other random or severe defects, especially those in focal areas like a player's face or those that significantly alter the card's intended appearance, will typically result in a lower grade.
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?
- As a standard card with a severe Print Defect (PD)
- As a Blank Back error
- As a Wrong Back error (Correct answer)
- As an ungradable card due to factory misprinting
Correct answer: As a Wrong Back error
This specific type of error, where the front of the card does not match the back, is known as a "Wrong Back." While it is a printing error, it has a specific classification distinct from a simple print dot or line (PD) or a Blank Back, where no information is printed on the reverse. PSA does grade such error cards.
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:
- Roller mark
- Fish eye (Correct answer)
- Print snow
- Surface dimple
Correct answer: Fish eye
A 'fish eye' is a common printing defect characterized by a small, circular spot where ink has vacated, often due to a defect in the card's coating or a foreign substance on the media during printing. 'Print snow' refers to a pattern of fine white specks, while a roller mark is a line, and a dimple is a physical indentation.
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?
- Print Defect (PD)
- Staining (ST)
- Out of Focus / Out of Register (Correct answer)
- Miscut (MC)
Correct answer: Out of Focus / Out of Register
When the different color printing plates are not perfectly aligned, it results in an image that is 'Out of Register,' which PSA also refers to as 'Out of Focus' (OF). This causes the image to appear blurry or have color halos. While technically a print defect, 'Out of Focus' is the more specific and accurate description for this registration issue.
Question 6: Which of the following is considered a printing 'variation' rather than a simple printing 'defect'?
- A 1990 Topps card with a single magenta print dot in the border.
- A 2020 Prizm card with a prominent roller mark across the front.
- The 1990 Topps Frank Thomas card missing the name on the front. (Correct answer)
- A 1985 Topps card with a wax stain on the reverse.
Correct answer: The 1990 Topps Frank Thomas card missing the name on the front.
A variation is typically an error in the pre-production or design stage that was later corrected, creating two distinct versions of the card, like the Frank Thomas 'No Name on Front.' Simple defects like print dots, roller marks, or wax stains are quality control issues from the printing or packaging process and are considered flaws, not recognized variations.
PSA - Professional Sports Authenticator Printing Defects and Variations Questions and Answers 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?