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Box damage · sticker damage

LEGO box sticker damage grading.

AI grading for seal sticker damage on sealed LEGO boxes.

What sticker damage is

How the AI sees it.

Sticker damage covers anything wrong with the factory adhesive seal label: lifted corners, surface scratches on the printed sticker, color fade on the sticker itself, or a sticker that's separating from the box at any point. Common from humidity cycling or careless handling.

Why it matters

The grader perspective.

The sticker IS the seal — damage to the sticker is damage to the seal. Even if no one has tried to open the box, a lifted-corner sticker drops the seal axis 2–3 points because authenticators can't fully verify the adhesive's integrity. Worst case the sticker pops off entirely, which graders flag as functionally identical to a reseal.

↦ Scored on the BrickGauge seal axis.

Severity tiers

Sticker damage by tier.

Each tier maps to a defect signal and the grade ceiling it forces. Pre-grade your box with BrickGauge to see which tier yours lands in.

TierSignalGrade cap
MINTSticker flush, vibrant, factory adhesive intactAFA 90+
NMTrace edge wear, no lift, no scratchesAFA 85
EXSingle corner lifted ≤1mm, no peelAFA 80
VGMultiple corners lifted or visible scratches on printAFA 75 or below
Prevention

Don’t create the damage.

  • 01Avoid humidity swings — sticker adhesive weakens fastest in cycling 30%↔70% RH environments.
  • 02Don't store boxes against rough surfaces; trace abrasion lifts the sticker corners.
  • 03Keep boxes away from heat sources; over 25°C accelerates adhesive degradation.
  • 04Once a corner lifts, do NOT press it back down — graders detect re-adhesion and flag it as reseal.
Get the verdict for your box

See your sticker damage scored.

Upload six photos and BrickGauge measures the sticker damage on your specific box, scores it on the seal axis, and rolls it into an overall verdict. Two free inspections on signup — credits never expire.

Sticker damage FAQ

Frequent questions about sticker damage.

What happens if the LEGO seal sticker peels off?

The box loses factory-sealed status for grading purposes — the same outcome as a reseal. AFA / CGC / WATA cannot certify factory-sealed contents without an intact seal sticker, and the graded slab will document the issue. Pre-grade with BrickGauge before submitting.

Can I re-glue a lifted LEGO seal sticker?

No. Any re-adhesion attempt is detected by graders as reseal. The original factory adhesive cannot be replicated with consumer glues, and the second adhesive layer leaves diagnostic artifacts that BrickGauge's reseal model catches at 97.4% recall.

Does sticker damage lower LEGO box value?

Significantly. A box with a lifted seal sticker corner sells for 30–50% below the same box with an intact sticker, because buyers can't be sure the contents are original. Sticker damage on the front face is more visible and therefore more punitive than on the bottom.

LEGO Box Sticker damage Grading — Value Impact & AI Detection | BrickGauge