Field note · 27 January 2026
Foil, die-cuts, and hex windows: condition notes that actually matter
A Scarlet Witch foil cover can look ‘near mint’ under shop fluorescents and still carry a hairline scratch that only appears when you tilt the board. We examine those copies under raking light, not just a phone flash from above.
Die-cut hex windows catch on adjacent bags. The damage shows as a lifted inner layer around the window, not as a classic colour-breaking crease. If you intend to submit the copy, say so before anyone bags it against a board that is slightly too thick.
Lenticular or ‘moving hex’ covers from later anniversary printings have a different problem: edge delamination. Pressing will not weld those layers. We will say so plainly in a condition note rather than send you to a presser with false hope.
Cleaning is rarely kind to red metallic inks. Dry dirt on the white of a hex pattern can sometimes be reduced; a stain that has sat in the scarlet field is often better left alone. Our notes separate ‘worth a professional press’ from ‘leave it and enjoy the copy’.
NFT comic collector boxes introduce a new surface: printed proofs and sealed cartons. We photograph carton scuffs separately from the print. Opening a seal is your decision; we will not open a box you asked us to keep closed.