Card Condition Guide
Card Condition Grades
If you have any questions regarding these grades, please feel free to contact sales@blackpowdergamestore.com. We are happy to answer any questions or hear any suggestions for improvement to this guide.
Near-Mint:
A card in Near Mint-Mint condition will show little to no visible wear. From the back, a Near Mint-Mint card is generally indistinguishable from other cards of the same condition.A card in this category may have one or two of the following types of wear:
- Very slight scratches visible upon close inspection
- Very slight clouding (dust/dirt damage) visible upon close inspection
- Very slight scuffing or loss of sheen visible upon close inspection
- Very slight nicks visible upon close inspection
- Very small printing flaws visible upon close inspection
Lightly Played:
A card in Lightly Played condition will show visible, minor, or mild wear even without close inspection.A card in this category may have several instances of the wear described in the Near Mint-Mint section as well as the following additional types of wear:
- Minor scratches
- Mild clouding (dust/dirt damage)
- Minor scuffing or loss of sheen
- Minor nicks
- Minor printing flaws
- Minor binder bending
- Minor indentations on the card surface
- Mild border whitening that does not extend along all card borders
- Mild corner whitening that does not extend to every corner
- Mild discoloration or fading
- Very slight border creases that extend no further than the border of the card
- Very slight shuffle creases that extend no further than the border of the card
Moderately Played:
A card in Moderately Played condition will show easily visible, moderate wear. A Moderately Played card will still be legal for tournament play if sleeved.A card in this category may have several instances of the wear described in the Lightly Played section as well as the following additional types of wear:
- Moderate scratches
- Moderate clouding (dust/dirt damage)
- Moderate scuffing or loss of sheen
- Moderate nicks
- Moderate printing flaws
- Moderate binder bending
- Moderate indentations on the card surface
- Moderate border whitening that may extend along all card borders
- Moderate corner whitening that may extend to every corner
- Moderate discoloration or fading
- Moderate border creases that may extend past the border of the card
- Moderate shuffle creases that may extend past the border of the card
- Mild or minor dirt build-up
- Very slight inking
- Very slight water damage
Heavily Played:
A card in Heavily Played condition will show very visible, heavy wear. A Heavily Played card will still be legal for tournament play if sleeved.A card in this category may have several instances of the wear described in the Moderately Played section as well as the following additional types of wear:
- Extreme and/or extensive scratches
- Extreme and/or extensive clouding (dust/dirt damage)
- Extreme and/or extensive scuffing or loss of sheen
- Extreme and/or extensive nicks or tears
- Extreme and/or extensive printing flaws
- Extreme and/or extensive binder bending
- Extreme and/or extensive indentations on the card surface
- Extreme and/or extensive border whitening
- Extreme and/or extensive corner whitening
- Extreme and/or extensive discoloration or fading
- Extreme and/or extensive border creases
- Extreme and/or extensive shuffle creases
- Dirt build-up that is more than mild or minor
- Inking that is more than very slight
- Water damage that is more than very slight
- Writing
