2025 Prizm Football Cards Showing Roller Lines and What It Means for Grading
Factory roller line marks appearing on 2025 Prizm Football cards may affect surface grades and final grading results.
Quick answer
Some 2025 Prizm Football cards show roller lines, faint vertical impressions on the back left by production rollers at the factory. Graders treat them as surface defects, so a card with a flawless front can still lose its Gem Mint grade. Check the back under strong angled light before grading.
2025 Prizm Football Cards Showing Roller Lines and What It Means for Grading
Collectors opening 2025 Prizm Football have started noticing a manufacturing issue that can affect grading outcomes. According to a recent alert from PSA, some cards are showing roller line impressions on the reverse side of the card. These lines typically run vertically from top to bottom and may extend across a large portion of the card's surface.
The marks originate during the factory printing process, where production rollers can leave subtle impressions on the card stock. They can be difficult to spot at first glance, but they are often visible under strong lighting or when the card is tilted at an angle.
If you are planning to grade your cards, this matters because roller lines count as surface defects. Even when the front of the card looks flawless, lines on the back can pull the final grade down. A card that might otherwise qualify for a Gem Mint grade could drop because of these production marks.
When you grade with DCM, it helps to inspect the back of the card closely before you upload your images. Cameras and phone sensors do not always capture faint roller impressions clearly. During the upload process, check off any visible defects you can identify so DCM Optic has the right context when it evaluates the card.
DCM Defect Observation Report
The DCM Optic™ grading system analyzes centering, corners, edges, and surface in seconds, and confirming the issues you can see yourself gives it more to work with.
For more grading insights and tools, visit DCM Grading.
Frequently asked questions
- What are roller lines on a card?
- Subtle vertical impressions on the card stock left by rollers during printing. They usually run top to bottom on the back and show up under strong or angled light.
- Do roller lines lower a grade?
- Yes. Roller lines count as surface defects, and a card that would otherwise reach Gem Mint can drop because of them.
- How should I photograph a card with roller lines for DCM?
- Use even lighting, tilt the card to confirm the lines by eye, and mark any visible defects during upload so the report has the correct context.