Retransfer printing with non-linear peel-off

A retransfer print station of a personalized credential processing system, comprising:

• a thermal print head;
• a retransfer film having a layer of transferrable print receptive material;
• a ribbon having a peel-off material;
• a transfer station;
• a controller that is programmed to control the thermal print head, the retransfer film, the ribbon, and the transfer station to:
• align the peel-off material of the ribbon with an image canvas of the transferrable print receptive material of the retransfer film having printed data in the image canvas, and adhere a portion of the peel-off material to a peel-off area of the transferrable print receptive material within the image canvas using the thermal print head, wherein the adhered portion of the peel-off material has a leading edge with a non-linear repeating or random pattern;
• peel the transferrable print receptive material within the peel-off area from the retransfer film thereby forming a void area in the transferrable print receptive material of the image canvas;
• and
• advance the retransfer film and the printed data of the image canvas to a transfer station, and transfer a portion of the image canvas of the transferrable print receptive material bearing the printed data and the void area to a surface of the personalized credential.

A personalized credential, comprising:

• a credential substrate with a perimeter edge and rounded corners, a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface;
• credential holder data on at least one of the first surface and the second surface;
• at least one of an integrated circuit chip and a magnetic strip;
• a print receptive material and a transferrable protective layer covering a portion of the first surface, and a first portion of the first surface is not covered by the print receptive material and the transferrable protective layer;
• and
• the first portion has a border and at least one edge of the border has a non-linear repeating or random pattern.