Pokemon TCG collector dumbfounded by PSA 10 shipping disaster
The Pokemon CompanyA Pokemon fan experienced every TCG collector’s worst nightmare with their latest graded card pick-up after their parcel arrived visibly damaged.
Sharing their bewilderment on Reddit over how the package came to be so mangled, the user shared a snap of the destroyed package and asked, “How does this even happen?”.
While the card itself, a PSA 10 Tyranitar Alt Art from Battle Styles, appeared to have escaped any harm in images provided by the author, its plastic PSA case wasn’t so fortunate – numerous cracks were visible.
Per PriceCharting, raw copies of the Battle Styles card sell for around $100 on the aftermarket. PSA 10 copies, on the other hand, fetch prices in the region of $275.
Perfect grade or not, a damaged case would undoubtedly affect this poor Tyranitar’s resale value. Fortunately, responses in the thread were on hand to offer helpful advice on how the user could salvage their beloved card.
“This might be worth a shot, relatively cheap, and no real risk of a lower grade,” said one, referencing PSA’s reholder service.
Others shared their own horror stories of parcels turning up damaged or being sent with inadequate packaging.
“I received a package that was sent USPS that was a card in a Toploader in a bubble mailer in a box with other cushioning in the box,” one collector recalled, adding, “The box was absolutely destroyed and the Toploader and the card were bent.”
“Honestly could have been much worse…” came another, continuing, “Compared to many of the posts I have seen of USPS apologizing for straight empty boxes or slabs crushed to bits, this is very salvageable.”
This isn’t the first time the United States Postal Service has faced scrutiny for its quality of service. Pokemon YouTuber Leonhart lost a $55,000 card in 2020 after sending it off with the courier to be graded.