Wrinkles are lines that are created by pressing, folding or crinkling paper or card stock materials. They are usually not as embedded as creases. Some collectors misclassify wrinkles with creases; wrinkles are not as deep or as damaging as creases. Creases go deeper into the paper and can actually take away the color leaving a white space. Wrinkles are more surface defects and normally do not take away the color or leave white marks. This is particularly obvious with post-1970's materials which are clay-coated. Creases will actually break through the clay coating and into the color, whereas wrinkles do not.

Wrinkles are most commonly the result of mishandling, such as rolling posters with rubber bands, laying things on top of them, grasping them too tightly, bumping the edges, etc.

Wrinkles have a minor affect on a poster's overall value, depending on how many there are and where they are located. This is due to the fact that most wrinkles can be easily steamed out. Wrinkles in the border would have little or no affect; wrinkles on the artwork would have limited impact, depending on the number and severity. SEE GRADING FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Most wrinkles can be removed by either utilizing a heavy duty clothes steamer or a heat press. Even though it is a simple process, care should be taken anytime one is handling a poster. Most frame shops have a heat press for straightening out the wrinkles that occur in storing posters.