Pokémon card condition guide: Near Mint to Damaged
Sellers and buyers describe a raw card with five conditions, from Near Mint to Damaged. Each step down lowers the price. Tick what you see on your card below and the checklist names its condition.
Tick everything you can see on your card
Check the front and the back under a bright light. Nothing to tick means Near Mint.
- Near Mint means a card that looks fresh from the pack, not a perfect card.
- Light whitening on a corner or two is Lightly Played.
- Any crease, however small, is Moderately Played or lower.
- Water damage, tears and ink put a card at Damaged.
- When unsure, pick the lower condition. Buyers return cards that were described too kindly.
What each condition looks like
Near Mint. Fresh from the pack. No marks.
Lightly Played. A couple of light scratches. You have to look for them.
Moderately Played. Scratches and wear you can see at arm's length.
Heavily Played. Heavy scratching, whitening and a duller picture.
Damaged. Creases, stains and a faded picture.
The wear is drawn on. Our binder shows a card's condition the same way.
The five conditions
| Condition | What you see | Who buys it |
|---|---|---|
| Near Mint | Fresh from the pack. At most a tiny speck on a back corner. | Collectors, and anyone sending a card for grading. |
| Lightly Played | Light whitening on a corner or two, or faint surface scratches. | Collectors who want a clean binder copy for less. |
| Moderately Played | Whitening on most of the back border, a clear scratch, or one small crease. | Players and collectors on a budget. |
| Heavily Played | Heavy wear all round, several creases, soft corners. | Players, and collectors filling a gap in an old set. |
| Damaged | Tears, water damage, peeling, ink or a hard fold. | Buyers who only want the card to sit in their set. |
How to check a card
- Take it out of the sleeve.Scratches on a sleeve look like scratches on the card. Hold the card by its sides.
- Use a bright light.Tilt the card under a lamp. Scratches and dents show as the light moves across.
- Check the back first.The dark blue border shows every white speck. Look at all four corners.
- Look along the surface.Hold the card flat at eye level. A bend or a crease breaks the line.
What condition does to the price
Each step down takes a slice off the price. The slice is larger for old and rare cards.
Our card pages have a condition switch. Pick a condition and the price follows. Look a card up.
Condition is not a grade
Near Mint describes a raw card. A grade is a number from a grading company.
- A Near Mint card can come back a 7, an 8, a 9 or a 10.
- Graders also measure centering, which condition names ignore.
- Never sell a raw card as a sure 10. Nobody can promise a grade.
Our grading guide shows when grading pays.
Describing a card you sell
- Name the condition and list each flaw you found.
- Photograph the front, the back and each corner, out of the sleeve.
- When torn between two conditions, pick the lower one.
Our free binderKeep a condition for every cardOur binder holds each card's condition and shows its wear on the card.Open My Binders →In stock today below its usual price
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Common questions
What does Near Mint mean for a Pokémon card?
A card that looks fresh from the pack. Its corners are sharp and its surface is clean. A tiny speck on a back corner is allowed, and nothing more.
What is the difference between Lightly Played and Moderately Played?
Lightly Played wear shows only on a close look, such as light whitening on a corner or two. Moderately Played wear shows at arm's length, or includes a small crease.
Does a crease ruin a Pokémon card?
It lowers the price a long way, but the card still sells. A creased card is Moderately Played at best, and Heavily Played when the crease is long.
Is Near Mint the same as a PSA 10?
No. Near Mint is a seller's description of a raw card. A PSA 10 is a grade given after measuring centering, corners, sides and surface. Most Near Mint cards grade lower than 10.
Do sleeves keep a card Near Mint?
A soft sleeve stops scratches and a rigid holder stops bends. Together they keep a card as it left the pack, as long as it stays dry and out of the sun.
More guides
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