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Foil

Also written: Foiling · Foil treatment

A reflective metallic layer applied over part or all of a card — the base mechanism behind refractors, prizms and holos.

CoatingThe card reflects light differently

Foil is a reflective metallic layer applied over some or all of a card's surface. It is the oldest and most widely used premium mechanism in the hobby, and it is the foundation of nearly everything that came after: refractors, prizms, holo rares and every patterned finish are all foil with something done to it.

How to see it

Foil is invisible under diffuse room light and obvious under a single hard light source. Tilt the card slowly — a foil layer sweeps light across the surface as the angle changes, while ordinary printed ink does not change at all. This one test resolves a large share of "is this a parallel?" questions.

Why it dominates condition grading

• Scratches. Foil shows fine surface scratches that paper stock hides entirely. Most foil cards that fail to grade well fail here.
• Print lines. Faint lines from the foiling process itself, visible only at an angle, and present straight out of the pack.
• Curling. Foil and card stock respond differently to humidity, so foil cards bow. Some products come out of the wrapper already curved.

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