Why cards get rejected by graders
Grading. . 1 min read.
A card can come back without a numeric grade. The label wording differs by company, but the categories are broadly the same and each one means something quite specific.
Altered
The card has been physically changed: trimmed, recoloured, pressed, or had a surface treated. This is the serious one. An altered card is worth substantially less than the same card honestly worn, because the alteration was an attempt to misrepresent it.
Evidence of trimming
The edges do not match factory cut dimensions or texture. Sometimes deliberate, sometimes a card cut oddly at the factory. The label makes no distinction and the market treats it as the former.
Not authentic
A reproduction. The checks that catch these are the same ones you can run yourself, described in how to spot a reprint.
Minimum grade not met
Only applies where you set one, as on a crossover. The card comes back as it went in. See crossover and reholder explained.
Buying a raw card that has been trimmed means paying for a card you cannot grade and cannot honestly resell. On expensive raw cards this risk is a large part of why graded copies command a premium at all, which is the mechanism set out in what grading does to the price.
Common questions
- Do I get my fee back if a card is rejected?
- Generally not. The card was examined, which is what the fee pays for. Policies differ, so check before submitting anything borderline.
The full guide
What grading does to the price
A graded card and a raw card are different products. Here is what the slab is actually buying.