Over the holiday season, we’re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of our Best of 2024 series. This article was originally published in August. Enjoy!
The entire trading card community — encompassing collectors and enthusiasts of Pokémon Trading Card games, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, Disney, and more — has recently been shaken by what could be a significant threat to the tradition of opening blind packs of cards.
Recent occurrences within the trading card hobby have brought attention to the utilization of CT scanners, typically used in the medical field for imaging, to scan trading card packs and boxes without actually opening them.
Following these events, a company named Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC has introduced a service where they perform CT scans on trading card products, capitalizing on the technology that has the potential to reveal the contents of sealed packs accurately.
A Brief Timeline of Key Events
Instagram user Dtaoooooo posted a video on June 24th, 2024, showing a CT scan of a box containing licensed basketball cards, raising concerns about the ability to identify valuable cards inside sealed packaging using this method.
This video caused a stir, prompting further exploration of the concept, which led to another YouTube channel, “Ahron Wayne’s Strange Brain,” showcasing CT scanning technology’s impact on Pokémon card packs.
These revelations have sent shockwaves through the trading card community, sparking debate over the potential implications of such technology.
Implications for Trading Card Industries
The potential impact on the trading card industry remains uncertain. While physically weighing packs to identify valuable holographic cards is not new, using CT scans presents a whole new challenge, hinting at a shift in how collectibles are valued.
The idea of “scanned” vs. “unscanned” products could revolutionize the collectibles market, raising questions about the authenticity and integrity of unopened merchandise.
What was once an unthinkable process has now become a reality, with Industrial Inspection + Consulting LLC offering scanning services for trading card enthusiasts.
Nintendo Life reached out to the company to gain insight into their operations amid this evolving landscape.
Nintendo Life [Alan Lopez]: What specific services does your company provide? What sets you apart?
Industrial Inspection & Consulting offers a range of engineering support, including non-destructive testing using advanced technologies like CT Scanning and X-ray, catering to niche industries with meticulous precision.
How do you view the adoption of CT scanning in the industry, and what prompted your company to respond to this trend?
First, we publicly exposed the covert use of CT scanning in the community, and now we aim to democratize x-ray vision for everyone.
The surge in interest we’ve received indicates a strong demand for this technology, prompting us to offer affordable and reliable CT scanning services for card enthusiasts.
Do you foresee any regulatory challenges or pushback from trading card manufacturers in response to your services?
The potential regulatory implications remain to be seen, as manufacturers may react to the emergence of CT scanning in various ways, but for now, we remain the sole provider of this scanning service.
What level of accuracy can customers expect from your scans, and what steps do you take to ensure trust and security?
Our scans provide precise imaging of card contents, with an industry-standard level of accuracy. Trust is essential in our services; we ensure secure handling and tamper-proof processes to protect the integrity of sealed packs.
Ultimately, what do you believe the future holds for CT scanning in the realm of collectibles?
CT scanning is a technological advancement that is here to stay, transforming how collectibles are evaluated and valued. While some may view it as controversial, the adoption of such technology is inevitable in the ever-evolving world of collectibles.
The interview has been slightly edited for clarity. Nintendo Life also attempted to reach out to key companies in the trading card industry for comment but did not receive any response at the time of publication.