How to rescue a damaged Pokemon card
The Pokemon CompanySpilling coffee on a rare Pokemon card is a heart-stopping moment as a collector. Here are some tips to help you rescue a damaged Pokemon card.
Picture the scene. You’re sorting cards from your latest Pokemon TCG haul, peeling open Booster Packs, and sleeving your rarest finds. You’re reaching over your desk to put a stunning Illustration Rare into your binder – when you suddenly manage to elbow your coffee cup over, ruining the IR card in the process.
It’s incredibly easy to end up with damaged Pokemon cards, whether that’s thanks to clumsiness, bad packaging from a seller, or simply bad luck. Sometimes, they’re not salvageable and you have to let the card go. Other times, it is possible to fix a damaged card or at least make it better.
We’ve picked out some top tips here to help you mend any damaged Pokemon cards that you come across. It’s worth noting that these fixes will likely not improve a card’s results with professional grading – think of them as tips to improve your personal collection instead.
If the card is crumpled
A crumpled or bent Pokemon card is one of the easier fixes. Warped cards can be frustrating to play matches with and crumpled cards lose a lot of their aesthetic appeal, too.
If you end up with a card that’s misshapen, pop it in a sleeve gently and find some tissue paper if possible. Wrap the sleeved card in some tissue paper, and slide it into a heavy book. Find other hardback books to stack on top, then leave it for a week or so.
This should, in theory, help to straighten out the card. It won’t be a perfect fix, but it should make the card a lot nicer to hold and store in binders.
As with any piece of Pokemon card advice, there are alternate methods that are worth taking a look at. Some Pokemon fans use a combination of a plastic tub, a mini beaker, and a piece of wet tissue paper to mend warped cards.
It’s important to note that the author of this article has not tried this method and cannot vouch for it personally, but the replies to the X post are overwhelmingly positive.
If the card has water damage
If you end up spilling water or another liquid on your Pokemon card, immediately take it away from any other cards that it’s near.
Once you’ve isolated the card, use a soft tissue to gently pat the card dry. Don’t squeeze it or use an abrasive material to dry it, just keep it flat and pat it to try and soak up some of the liquid. This can take time, but it’s worth the wait.
The next step depends on your personal preference. Some folk will follow the steps listed above for warped cards and place them directly in a heavy book, some will sleeve the card and put it in a book, and some will sleeve the card and then leave it.
Pick your poison – the main thing to focus on is potential card warping. Wet cards will warp and bend naturally as they dry, so finding a heavy implement to keep it flat and in place can help minimize the damage done.
If something is stuck to the card
Removing sticker residue or similar substances from a Pokemon card can be tricky, and there are three main schools of thought when it comes to this.
As fans recently unveiled in an online discussion, most people are torn between using the following techniques to deal with this issue:
- Using a tiny amount of water to gently dab away the substance
- Using a teeny amount of isopropyl/99% alcohol to softly clean the substance
- Using a product like Kurt’s Card Care to clean the card
Something important to note is that holofoils and card treatments have changed over the years. Using 99% alcohol on one type of card may not yield the same results as using it on another. Grab a spare bulk card from the same set and type to test out your chosen method.
Whether you opt for using water or alcohol to fix this issue, the key is to be gentle and to use a minuscule amount of liquid. It is possible to damage a card further by trying to fix it, so move at a Marcargo’s pace and take your time. It’s good to use a cotton bud here, too.
If the card is torn
Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot that you can do if a Pokemon card is torn – which is why having good quality Pokemon card sleeves is so important.
If you’re a collector and you don’t want to play with the card, it’s worth gently sleeving the card and storing it in a binder. You likely won’t be able to flip it for any money or sell it down the line, but sleeving before storing it can help to prevent any further damage.
These tips will all vary in success rates from set to set, so it is important to spend some time searching online for other collectors with the same issue. Research is key when it comes to fixing up damaged Pokemon cards, as is taking your time.
If all else fails, head to your local game shop or get in contact with a restoration expert online. Depending on who you ask, you may need to pay for the card to be tended to, but if it’s a card that you truly value then it’s worth the time and money.
Now that you know how to fix up your Pokemon card collection, why not look into the best Pokemon card Booster Packs to pick up and add to it? There are some incredible releases on the way this year – 2024 is set to be a big one for Pokemon TCG collectors.
