Features of Pixel Pressed Grading Frames

Our case-encapsulation process involves three steps:

1. A sleeved card is encapsulated in a precision-fit and laser-cut acrylic case.
2. The acrylic case is placed inside a study wooden frame, made from premium Jichimu Wood.
3. The acrylic case is locked into the wooden frame. This final step ensures that the card cannot be removed without destroying the frame and the acrylic case.

This design keeps the card extremely safe and prevents edgewear, surface damage, corner damage and whitening.

This design also ensures that cards cannot be removed without the frame being completely destroyed – just like a standard acrylic grading case.

Our wooden frames are built using highly durable mortise and tenon joints. This means that the frame will never come apart over time.

Pixel Pressed Grading Frame

Our label is designed to highlight your card, not our brand.

The front of the label contains the card details. The name of the card is printed in larger text.

PPG Label (Front)

Our label design remains the same regardless of the grade.

We have deliberately placed the grade on the back of the label, which means that a lower grade will not detract from the display of the card.

PPG Label (Back)

Our first layer of card protection is a sleeve that encapsulates your card. The sleeve is made from acid-free and PVC-free plastic and will not degrade or damage your card over time.

The sleeve ensures that only the edges of the sleeve touch the acrylic case – not the edges of the card. This prevents abrasions, edge-wear and whitening.

The acrylic that we use is ultra-clear and has perfect transparency, allowing for optimal viewing of the card. The acrylic is also scratch-resistant and shatterproof.

The acrylic case is designed to tightly (but gently) fit the sleeved card to prevent the card from moving or rattling. Our case design protects the card from any rubbing, friction or pressure.

We also have designed our acrylic case with additional room around the corners. This ensures that there is nothing touching the corners of the card. This design provides the card with greater ‘breathing space’, and ensures that the corners of the card do not sustain any damage.

PPG Acrylic Case (with Corner Cutouts)

With the above features, the card is perfectly preserved and protected from damage.

Our wooden frames are made from premium Jichimu wood.

Jichimu wood has been used for centuries to make furniture and architectural elements in China and Southeast Asia. It is a highly prized wood because of its durability and resistance to decay.

Jichimu Wood Grain

Jichimu wood is a hard and non-porous wood. It will not be damaged or dented by small knocks. It also does not stain and it can be wiped clean if dust accumulates on the wood. Jichimu wood also has a high level of water resistance.

The wooden frame itself is held together with mortise and tenon joints, rather than with glue. Unlike glued joints, mortise and tenon joints will stand the test of the time and will never come apart, no matter how long you keep the frame and regardless of whether you live in a hot or cold climate.

Mortise and Tenon Joints

Each card that is graded by our service is provided with a custom Pixel Pressed Grading hologram security label. The hologram security label contains the unique certification number of the card – which can be searched in our card certification database.

Hologram Security Label

Each card that is graded by our service also comes with a unique QR code that links to our card certification database. This allows collectors to simply scan the QR code to bring up the page containing the card on the database.

Unique QR Code

Our wooden frames are designed so that, once encapsulated, the card cannot be removed without the frame and acrylic case being destroyed.

As highlighted above, the joints of our wooden frames use mortise and tenon joints, rather than glue. This means that the joints of the frame cannot be pulled apart and re-glued. The mortise and tenon joints are impossible to pull apart without completely destroying the joints.

The top part of the frame, where the acrylic case is inserted through, is covered by a thin wooden cap which is glued down using epoxy glue. Removing the wooden cap leaves both the frame and the cap severely damaged and splintered. This means that it is impossible to remove the wooden cap without leaving clear evidence of tampering.

Wooden Cap

Each frame has a unique and distinctive pattern of striations in the Jichimu wood. These distinctive natural striations mean that no two of our wooden frames are the same.

Each Frame has a Different Wood Grain

This unique pattern of striations acts like a ‘fingerprint’ and is impossible to replicate. Even if a counterfeiter could replicate every other part of our cases and frames, it would be impossible replicate the unique striations of the Jichimu wood.

These striations occur naturally and randomly within the Jichimu wood. Just like a human fingerprint, the striations in the Jichimu wood are unique and different for every frame.

When we add a graded card to our card Certification Registry, we include photographs of the back, front and right side of the frame. These photographs show the unique natural striations of the wood. If the wooden pattern on your frame matches the photographs in our database, then your PPG frame is legitimate. If the wooden striations of your frame does not match the photographs on our database, it is a fake or counterfeit.

This feature offers the ultimate peace of mind, and makes counterfeiting our frames virtually impossible.

Example Database Entry