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

Damaged:

A card in Damaged condition will show easily visible, extreme, and/or extensive wear. A Damaged card may not be legal for tournament play, even if sleeved. To sum up, a Damaged card is any card that is graded worse than Heavily Played. A card in this category may have several instances of the wear described in the Heavily Played section.