Every swirl
tells a story.
We score it.
We don't re-grade your card — we score the one thing traditional grading ignores: the holographic swirl.
What is SWRL Grading?
A swirl is a spiral pattern hidden in the holofoil of vintage Pokémon cards — a random artifact of the printing process that makes every holo literally one of a kind. PSA grades the card. We grade the swirl. Our 100-point SWRL Score sits alongside your existing grade and turns an overlooked printing quirk into a certified collectible trait.
Scores are built for same-artwork comparisons — how swirls on different copies of the same card rank against each other — not a universal “best swirl” across every set. Only cosmo-foil cards with a visible swirl qualify; if a card has more than one, we grade the strongest. Graders score from your holo video across four weighted categories that add up to 100.
Visibility
graded out of 5How clearly the swirl reads under normal lighting — from barely visible to extremely crisp and bold.
Completeness
graded out of 35How much of the spiral is intact. A full, unbroken swirl earns 35; partial arcs score by how much shows.
Placement
graded out of 30Where it sits. Edge and text-box swirls score low; premium placement interacts with the artwork or Pokémon.
Aesthetic Impact
graded out of 30Does it enhance the art? Top marks go to swirls that “tell a story” — halo, combat, bubble gum, and more.
How grading works
Submit your video
Fill out the online submission form with a video of your holo in motion. Your card never leaves your hands.
Graders review the swirl
Our team studies your footage under review conditions, watching the swirl travel through the light from every angle.
100-point evaluation
Visibility /5, Completeness /35, Placement /30, and Aesthetic Impact /30 add up to the definitive SWRL Score out of 100.
Your swirl sticker arrives
We mail you a swirl sticker with application instructions, and your card gets its own permanent page on collectswirls.com.
Join the swirl community
Follow along for grading reveals, community spotlights, and updates as collector profiles and achievements come online.