Pokejem / Guide: PSA altered cards
◆ Guide · Grading & restoration
Will restoration get my card flagged as altered?
Before you restore a card you might send for grading, it helps to know what PSA, BGS and CGC call “altered” and what happens if they spot it. Here is the plain-English version, from a restorer who would rather say no than cost you a grade.
◆ The three graders
What happens if a grader thinks it’s altered
| Grader | What happens | Can it still be slabbed? |
|---|---|---|
| PSA | No number grade. The card comes back unslabbed with a “No Grade” code explaining why, and you still pay the grading fee. | Sometimes, as “Authentic Altered”, if the grader agrees and you asked for that minimum on your submission form. |
| BGS (Beckett) | A card showing tampering or restoration is not put in a graded holder, and the full fee is still charged. | No. |
| CGC | No number grade on its normal 1–10 scale. | At CGC’s discretion, as “Authentic Altered”, mainly for cards collectors still want in an altered state. |
An “Authentic Altered” slab only confirms the card is real. It is usually worth far less than the same card with a number grade, so treat it as a fallback, not a goal.
◆ PSA’s list, in plain English
What PSA looks for
| PSA code | What it means | Restoration work it can catch |
|---|---|---|
| N1 Trimming | Edges cut to look sharper or to improve centring. | Any trimming. We never trim cards. |
| N2 Restoration | Paper built up, for example a torn corner rebuilt to look new. | Filling or rebuilding card stock. We do not add card stock. |
| N3 Recolouring | Colour that looks artificially improved. | Touching up colour, including toning whitened edges. |
| N5 Altered stock | Pressed creases or wrinkles, removed scratches, added gloss, or sprays and wax on the surface. | Crease and dent flattening, scratch removal, polishing. |
| N7 Cleaning | Whitener on the borders, or a solution used to lift stains. | Wet cleaning, stain removal, whitening borders. |
PSA also has codes for fakes (N4), undersized cards (N6), factory miscuts (N8) and items it does not grade (N9). Those are not about restoration.
Read that list again and you will see most restoration sits somewhere on it. That is why we are upfront: we restore cards for how they look and feel in your hands, not to get past a grader. Careful work can be very hard to see, but graders look closely and their decision is final.
◆ Crease repair
Creases: please take note
Crease repair can flatten a card a long way, but some creases leave a faint line across the card even after careful work. That line, or the flattening itself, can be read by a grader as pressing, which PSA lists under altered stock (N5). So a card that looks much better in your hand can still come back from grading marked as altered.
More on this: can a creased Pokémon card be fixed? and crease repair in Singapore.
◆ Edge whitening repair
We do it, but not for every card
Whitening is where a card’s coloured edge has worn back to the white card stock underneath. We can tone small worn spots back into the border, but it is a last resort that works about 70% of the time. Because it changes the colour of the edge, though, it sits right in PSA’s recolouring territory, and the more whitening a card has, the higher the risk it comes back from PSA without a grade.
Our rule of thumb
- Light whitening on a card you are keeping: a good candidate.
- Heavy whitening: usually not recommended. The risk outweighs the improvement.
- A card worth more than about S$1,500 as a PSA 10: we will usually say no. An honest raw card or a lower number grade is worth far more than an “Authentic Altered” slab or a card sent back ungraded.
- Planning to grade soon: tell us first. We will tell you which steps, if any, we would leave out.
More on the service: edge whitening repair in Singapore.
◆ How we decide with you
Before we touch your card
Tell us your plan
Keeping it, selling it raw, or sending it for grading? The answer changes what we recommend.
We check the value
If a high grade is worth a lot, we suggest less work, or none at all.
Microscope first
Every crease, dent, lift and worn edge is mapped before we quote.
You approve each step
We only do the work you agree to, and photograph every stage.
◆ Selling a restored card
Always tell the buyer
If you sell a card that has been restored, say so and say what was done. It is the honest thing to do, it protects you if the buyer later sends it for grading, and it keeps the collector community one people can trust.
Not planning to grade at all? Then the rules above matter much less. See restoring a damaged card to look its best.
We restore cards; we do not grade them or submit them for grading, and no restorer can promise a grade. If you are unsure whether restoration makes sense for your card, read is card restoration worth it? or ask us for a free assessment. See our full range of Pokémon card restoration in Singapore and prices.
◆ FAQ
Common questions
Will PSA know my card has been restored?
Not always, but you should assume it might. PSA looks for trimmed edges, rebuilt paper, recolouring, pressed creases, removed scratches, extra gloss and cleaning residue. If it finds evidence, the card comes back without a number grade.
What does “Authentic Altered” mean?
It means the card is genuine but has been changed. PSA and CGC can put some altered cards in a slab with this label instead of a number grade. An Authentic Altered card is usually worth much less than the same card with a number grade.
Can a cleaned card still get a PSA 10?
It can, but nobody can promise it. PSA’s list targets solutions that lift stains, sprays, wax and anything left on the surface. Gentle cleaning that only removes loose dust and fingerprints is a different thing. We tell you which kind of cleaning your card needs before we start. See Pokémon card cleaning.
Will you polish my card if I plan to grade it?
We recommend not to. For cards going to grading we do a gentle, natural clean and skip polishing, because polishing and an unnaturally glossy finish are exactly what graders can flag as altered. For personal-collection cards, we can take the finish all the way.
Will a repaired crease be flagged as altered?
It can be. Some creases leave a faint line across the card even after repair, and a grader may treat that line or the flattening as altered. If in doubt, ask us for a free assessment before you book.
Do you do whitening repair on expensive cards?
Usually not. If a card would be worth more than about S$1,500 as a PSA 10, we normally advise against edge whitening repair, because the grading risk outweighs the improvement.
Do you grade cards or guarantee a grade?
No. We restore cards; we do not grade them or submit them for grading. Grading companies judge every card as it is, so no restorer can promise a grade.
◆ Free assessment
Not sure about your card?
Send a photo of the front, the back and the damage, and tell us whether you plan to grade it. We reply with an honest opinion, including when we think you should leave it alone. Cards are dropped off and collected in person in Singapore, by appointment.
Based on the graders’ own published rules, checked 27 October 2026: PSA Grading Standards (No Grade definitions), Beckett Grading FAQ and CGC on Authentic Altered cards. Grading policies can change, so check with the grader before you submit.