The condition of a card is one of the main criteria that determines its value. This is especially true for old cards. For example, the Tournament Black Luster Soldier wouldn't be worth $2,000,000 if it had terrible defects. Therefore, we recommend that you find out what condition your card is in right now with our guide. Perhaps our information will help protect it from further damage, and after reading this article, you will be able to determine what class your cards belong to. Check the condition of your cards and your chances of selling them.
Types Of Trading Card According To Their Condition
To date, the following conditions of collectible cards are known as:
Sometimes it is very difficult to attribute your card to any of the above gradations. However, our detailed description of each condition will help you with this!
Gem Mint Card Condition
This is a gradation that should be treated with the utmost care because it is used in relation to cards of special collectible value. Gem Mint is a high card grade, which means that the card has no damage, moreover, it is free from manufacturing defects and flaws, such as stripes on the foil, poorly cut corners, skew, etc. Cards in this state practically do not exist.
Mint Card Condition
If you grade a Yu-Gi-Oh! card as Mint, it means that the front side is in perfect condition, there are no scratches or damages on the surface, and it's spotless even under the microscope. Likewise, on the reverse side. If the card has micro-scratches, signatures, and stamps, it cannot under any circumstances be rated as a Mint, even if the card is otherwise in perfect condition.
Near Mint-Mint Card Condition
This is the state of cards that are difficult to attribute to one of the gradations because they are equally suitable for both Mint and Near Mint Card Condition. Thus, they both include the same features as both of these states, on one condition - there can be only one minor defect on the card. If there are many small defects on the card, this is no longer a Near Mint-Mint Card Condition.
Near Mint Card Condition
The most common gradation of cards, in which, unfortunately, they are most often mistaken. The card in NM condition looks just perfect - as if it was placed in a double protector right after opening and never played without a sleeve. There may be minor damage on the NM card:
- easy clouding;
- micro-scratches;
- light edge wear.
But these defects should not be visible to the naked eye, and certainly not more than a couple on the same card together.
Excellent-Mint Card Condition
Due to the decline in card printing quality in recent years, situations have become more frequent when a card directly from the booster has factory defects - small dots, dents, craters, scratches on one of the sides or along the edges. Accordingly, it is incorrect to say that the card is in Excellent condition (it has never been played), but at the same time, it cannot be called NM since there are minor defects. For such a case, the Excellent-Mint Card Condition gradation is introduced.
Excellent Card Condition
A card in EX condition is your faithful battle friend who has gone through many games but which has been treated carefully. On the EX card, you can clearly see small defects or damage. There may be small scratches on the surface that are visible on closer inspection, and small chips around the edges of the card. However, the card cannot be rated EX if the scratches are so deep that they are visible at a glance. The same applies to the total amount of damage - if there is a lot of damage, the card is no longer in Excellent Condition.
Very Good Card Condition
A card in a Very Good state is what happens if a sufficiently large amount of total damage has accumulated on the card. Play a card without protectors a couple of times, and you have Good Card Condition. Thus, we are not talking about a badly worn card, but only about a card with defects that can be clearly seen by holding it up to the light.
Good Card Condition
Cards in GD condition (also called light played cards) are noticeably worn. You can see a lot of white spots and chips around the edges and corners; there are usually scratches on the surface, and some dirt has accumulated on the surface of the card. However, all of this damage can only be sustained from normal playing with the card - no mechanical or extraneous damage like kinks, creases, or water corrosion.
Fair Card Condition
Erased corners and areas of the front and back sides, many large scratches - all this characterizes the condition of the Fair. In general, if you feel that the card was played for a long time without a sleeve in the 90s, feel free to give it a Fair Condition. However, there is a subtle line between this gradation and the worse - Poor. The fair condition means that the card has some semblance of appeal, while the poor condition means that there are a lot of damages on the surface and the card no longer has a saleable appearance.
Poor Card Condition
The following cards fall into this category:
- completely erased front or back surface;
- significant scratches;
- full creases;
- folded in half;
- pierced through;
- soaked and so on.
Also included are cards with unnatural damage - for example, painted sides, painted and altered cards (not to be confused with signed ones), damaged by water or the sun (completely or heavily faded). This category is worth paying close attention to - if your card has at least one of the items that match the description of Poor - it falls into this category.
Have Your Trading Card Sets Safe With Card Sleeves
Card sleeves provide your collectible cards with special protection. They will save your favorite cards from premature aging, serious damage and soaking. With them, you can stop reacting nervously to guests who boldly drink soda over your legendary deck. This way, you will always be able to maintain the high price of your collection and even embellish it with a unique design that you can create yourself on our website! We are proud of the high quality of our products and guarantee that they will last you a long time.
FAQ
What Is The Near Mint Condition Trading Card?
The mint condition card is what everyone wants to get with just one look at it. It is like it has been taken from a new deck and never been played.
Is Mint Condition Trading Card Better Than Good?
Mint condition is much better than good. The fact is that it is complicated to find cards in mint condition.
Why Is Trading Card Called Mint Condition?
The name mint comes from the valuation of the coins. Previously, the factory for the coin's production was called the mint, and respectively, they came out of there in an intact state.
Does Mint Condition Trading Card Mean Unused?
Mint condition, in most cases, means an unused card. But if you use sleeves for cards, this state can also be saved.