Does anyone know what these dark splotches are on my SIR? Pulled pack fresh and then immediately sleeved. Looks like dirt but it’s embedded. Is this factory related? Would love to know how I could clean this off.
by jaycrypted
Pokemon Trading Card Game
2 Comments
[deleted]
I can’t quite tell which it is but these are possible factory errors:
1. Ink Hickeys (The Most Common Error)
These are small, circular dark spots that often have a tiny “halo” or ring around them.
• The Cause: They occur when a tiny piece of debris (like a speck of dust or dried ink) gets stuck on the printing plate or the roller.
• The Look: They usually look like a solid dark dot or a “donut” shape.
2. Roller Grime or “Factory Grit”
Sometimes cards pick up tiny black specks that look like dirt or pepper.
• The Cause: Printing presses are industrial machines that use belts and rollers. Over time, these rollers can shed tiny bits of rubber or accumulate “ink mist” that settles on the card before it is sealed in the pack.
• The Test: Unlike ink errors, these are sometimes on top of the surface.
3. Wet Ink Transfer (Ink Smudges)
If you see larger, irregular dark splotches or “clouds,” it’s often a transfer error.
• The Cause: This happens when sheets are stacked on top of each other before the ink is 100% dry. The wet ink from the back of one sheet “stamps” onto the front of the sheet beneath it.
• The Look: These usually look like faint, blurry patches of black or blue ink, often near the borders.