Hot Wheels Card Bend — Bow, Crease, Warp
Is a slightly bent Hot Wheels card still graded?
A reversible bow (≤ 3mm deflection from flat, no surface micro-fracture) is graded as a 'mild bend' — AFA 85 cap. Anything ≥ 5mm or a bend that creased the surface caps at AFA 80 or below. Permanent warp from sustained humidity is graded at AFA 75 or lower.
Card bend is the source of more grading disputes than any other defect because the line between 'flat enough' and 'mild bend' is subjective in-hand. Graders use a 3-point fixture: if the card rocks on a flat surface, it's bent enough to dock points.
Bend vs warp
A bend is one-directional (the card curves on a single axis). Warp is multi-directional (saddle-shape, propeller-twist). Warp drops you a full grade band more than bend of the same magnitude.
Run BlisterEye on this card.
Two free inspections, ten-second AI pre-grade, predicted AFA / CAS grade range. No credit card required.
Frequently asked questions
Can you flatten a bent Hot Wheels card?+
Slow press in dry storage (3-6 months between two books) can flatten a bow. Heat or moisture-induced flattening usually distorts the print and shows under raking light.