Ditto from Pokemon Go has caused a stir in the world of collecting and grading.

by | Jul 8, 2022 | Ace Explanations

We didn’t know that Ditto would use the move Confusion when coming out of the Pokemon Go TCG set, released July 1st in the UK…

We were all surprised.

This article is written so we can have a discussion on the real question that has arrived from this Pokemon TCG expansion:
To peel, or not to peel?

That’s right, where most collectors thought the hardest decision was to leave their product sealed, or tear open boxes and packs in search of the chase cards from any given set, we’ve now been given one more layer of agonising choice.

Ditto bursts onto the scene looking like a fake from your childhood, a peelable sticker of another Pokemon, sitting on top of your Ditto card. This is a brand new format, that has the top layer, the sticker, having a tiny Ditto icon where you would usually find the Set Symbol (otherwise known as the Tournament Regulation Mark).

The top layer, the disguise for the ditto, is not tournament legal, however the Ditto card itself is, and has a pretty unique ability called Sudden Transformation, which allows this card to use any attack of a basic Pokemon in the Discard pile.

This seems pretty cool, but for those that aren’t TCG players, and instead are into the collecting and grading scenes, this poses the magical question above, so let’s talk about the pros and cons of peeling back your Pokepal to get this purple partner.

Peel

✓ You get to see the amazing Ditto card

✓ The card is now tournament legal

✓ Ditto is “more popular” (personally) than the sticker Pokemon like Bidoof.

✘ The sticker removal process requires patience as to not nick the edges or corner of the card

✘ Even the most careful of removal of an adhesive sticker will leave a small amount of residue on the card, which could attract dust, dirt and other small particles.

Don’t Peel

✓ You get to have your Ditto “hidden” from your friends who are trying to steal your little blobby buddy.

✓ You don’t have to worry about damaging the card whilst peeling.

✓ This is the first time this has happend in the Pokemon TCG, so it’s a part of the History in the Pokemon Card collecting scene.

✘ There has been no public long term testing on whether the degradation of the adhesive can warp / damage the card.

✘ The card is not tournament legal

✘ Why would you want to hide Ditto?!

Ace Grading accepts both the peeled and unpeeled versions of the Ditto, and there is still the chance of grading these at 10s.

We’ve taken our time to make sure that the grading scale can accept this new type of card, and though every peeled and unpeeled card will be unique, we are certain we have experienced enough of these cards in our testing that we have a consistent mark of what makes both the “peeled” and “unpeeled” versions of this card Gem Mint!

 However we MUST warn you, peeling the top layer off your Ditto card comes with a warning! Be very gentle and careful, edgewear and cornerwear are both big factors in how a card grades, you don’t want to be nicking these with your fingernails as you try to remove the sticker.

If you want to see more about a Pokemon Go TCG grading submission, please see the video below!

 

Thomas Broomhall

Position: Head of Grading | Favourite Pokémon: Ditto| Ditto is the best.

Heya! Often going as “BaseSetTom”, I originally designed the grading scale at Ace, and upon early revisions with the Grading Team, and the leadership team, we came to make what we feel is the perfect way to grade cards! I will be giving more insights on Ace here in the blog, so keep your eyes peeled.

I love Ditto