Card grading
How we grade card condition.
Five grades, photo reference for each. If you’re selling singles to us, this is how we’ll assess them — same criteria every time, no surprises at the counter.
Near Mint (NM)
Near Mint cards show minimal or no wear from play or handling and will have an unmarked surface, crisp corners, and otherwise pristine edges outside of minimal handling. Near Mint cards appear “fresh out of the pack,” with edges and surfaces virtually free from all flaws.
Lightly Played (LP)
Lightly Played cards can have slight border or corner wear, or possibly minor scratches. No major defects are present, and there are fewer than 4 total flaws on the card. Lightly Played foils may have slight fading or indications of wear on the card face.
Moderately Played (MP)
Moderately Played cards have moderate wear, or flaws apparent to the naked eye. They can show moderate border wear, mild corner wear, water damage, scratches, creases or fading, light dirt buildup, or any combination of these defects.
Heavily Played (HP)
Heavily Played cards exhibit signs of heavy wear. They may include cards that have significant creasing, folding, severe water damage, heavy whitening, heavy border wear, and/or tearing.
Damaged (D)
Damaged cards show obvious tears, bends, or creases that could make the card illegal for tournament play, even when sleeved. They may have massive border wear, writing or major inking (e.g., white-bordered cards with black-markered front borders), massive corner wear, prevalent scratching, folds, creases, or tears.
Ready to sell?
Bring your cards by — no appointment needed.
We’ll grade everything together with you at the counter so you know exactly how each card landed. Sealed boxes and graded slabs get priced individually too.