— Wet Cards

Water Damaged Pokémon Cards. What now?

A spilled drink, a leaky basement, a binder left in the rain. Some water damage can be fixed and some can't — here's how to tell the difference, what to do right away, and what we can do for your cards.

Start Your Restoration

Just got wet? Do this

  1. Get the cards out of the water and out of any wet sleeves, binders or boxes.
  2. Lay them flat on a clean, dry, absorbent surface, face up, not touching each other.
  3. Let them air-dry at room temperature, away from direct sun.
  4. Once fully dry, sleeve them, put them in top loaders and store them flat.
  • No hair dryers, ovens or heaters. Fast heat can warp cards and cloud the holo.
  • Don't peel stuck cards apart while wet. The surface can tear off. Let them dry first.
  • Don't wipe or rub. Wet card surfaces scuff and scratch easily.

What water does to a card

Waviness and curling

Card stock swells as it absorbs water and often dries wavy or curled.

Layer separation

Moisture weakens the bond between a card's layers, so corners and edges start to split. That's delamination.

Grime and specks

Damp storage leaves dirt, residue and Pokémold specks on the surface.

Water stains

Tide lines, rings and discoloration where water soaked into the card stock.

What we can and can't fix

We can fix

  • Wavy and curled cards (flattening)
  • Lifted edges and delamination
  • Dirt, grime and Pokémold
  • Creases and dents

We can't fix

  • Water stains, rings and tide lines
  • Discoloration or faded ink
  • Missing paper or torn-off surface
  • Whitening and chipping

A lot of "water damaged" cards are really wavy, dirty, or starting to split — and those are things we fix. If a card has a visible water stain, restoration can still improve the rest of the card, but the stain will stay.

How to send your cards

  1. Make sure your cards are completely dry before you pack them.
  2. Fill out the submission form. Each card's service tier is set by its value, and you'll see your price before checkout.
  3. Use our prepaid FedEx 2Day label ($35 round trip) and add insurance for the trip to us.
  4. Put each card in a top loader closed with a team bag — no tape — and include a printout of your order.

Water damage FAQ

Can water damaged Pokémon cards be fixed?

Partly. Waviness, curling, lifted layers and grime can be fixed. Water stains and discoloration can't be removed.

How do I dry wet Pokémon cards?

Lay them flat on a clean, dry, absorbent surface at room temperature and let them air-dry. Don't use heat, and don't pull stuck cards apart while they're wet.

Can you flatten a card that dried wavy?

Yes. Flattening wavy and curled cards is part of our restoration service.

Can water damaged cards still be graded?

They can be submitted, but water stains and other damage will affect the grade. Restoration can improve presentation, and we never promise a grade.

— Let's get minty

Wet cards. Second chance.

Send us your dried-out cards and we'll bring back everything that can be brought back.

Start Your Restoration