Card conditions
How to describe and check the condition of an ungraded card to avoid misunderstandings.
Use these definitions when you publish. When in doubt, choose the lower condition: it is better to surprise for the good than to cause an argument at the meetup.
- Mint (M)
- Perfect, as if fresh from the pack. No visible marks at all.
- Near Mint (NM)
- Almost perfect. At most a tiny imperfection on the edges.
- Excellent (EX)
- Light wear on corners or edges. No obvious scratches on the surface.
- Good (GD)
- Visible wear on corners and edges and small scratches.
- Light Played (LP)
- Clear signs of use: whitened edges and light scratches, no creases.
- Played (PL)
- Heavy use: scratches, very worn edges and small marks.
- Poor (PO)
- Damaged: creases, tears, stains or water damage.
- 01
How to inspect a card
Do it under good light, with the card out of its sleeve, on a clean, flat surface. Look at it straight on and also tilting it under the light: that is how scratches and marks that are invisible head-on show up.
- 02
What to look at, in this order
- Corners: whitening, rounded or bent tips.
- Edges: white marks or nicks, especially on the blue back, where they show most.
- Surface: scratches, prints, creases, print marks and loss of gloss on holo cards.
- Centering: very uneven borders between left and right or top and bottom.
- Bends or dents: they show up under raking light.
- 03
Take good photos
Front and back, with diffuse light and no glare, plus a close-up of any flaw. Although the picture of a Shinymeet listing is the official one, show the real condition in person and let the buyer check the card before paying.
- 04
Graded cards do not use this scale
If the card is in a PSA, BGS or CGC slab, give the company and the grade instead of the condition: the grade already describes the condition.
Official references and resources
- Pokémon TCG · Card databaseLook up official cards by name, expansion and rarity to compare with yours.pokemon.com (External link)
- Official Pokémon SupportOfficial help from The Pokémon Company International.support.pokemon.com (External link)
External links. Shinymeet is not affiliated with these companies or bodies and is not responsible for their content.