Trading Card Glossary › Condition & Quality
Surface
Also known as: Card surface, Front surface
In card grading, surface refers to the physical front and back faces of the card as a grading criterion. Graders evaluate the surface for scratches (visible lines from friction), print lines (production artifacts), stains (from wax, dirt, or moisture), chipping of the card's coating, and loss of gloss. The surface is often the most scrutinized aspect of modern glossy cards (Chrome, Prizm, etc.) where even minor scratches can drop a card from a PSA 10 to a PSA 8 or lower.
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