Grading
When it comes to card grading, we use the industry-standard 10-point scale to assess the quality and condition of trading cards. This scale takes into account the centering of the card, flaws on the surface, and wear on the edges and corners.
10
PRISTINE (Awarded TCGC’s Gold Label)
Centering: 50/50
Surface: Crisp photo with no stains or flaws in the gloss and no print lines and no wear under magnification
Edges: Straight smooth edges with no dings or knicks
Corners: 4 sharp corners
10
GEM MINT
Centering: 55/45
Surface: No flaws to the naked eye but may have tiny flaws under magnification
Edges: No flaws to the naked eye but may have tiny flaws under magnification
Corners: Mint to the naked eye but may have subtle wear under magnification
9.5
MINT+
Centering: 55/45 or better
Surface: Looks close to a 10 however can contain tiny flaws
Edges: Are close to perfect but may have one minor flaw
Corners: Close to Gem Mint 10 but may have tiny whitening or rounding
9
MINT
Centering: 60/40
Surface: Under close examination can have a small flaw or scratch or may also have minor print line, small spot or minor image issue such as color or focus
Edges: May have a very slight of nicks
Corners: One corner can have minor nick, rounding, or whitening
8.5
NM/MT+
Centering: 65/35
Surface: Can have a scratch, minor print line, or slight color issues
Edges: May have very slight nick
Corners: May have slight nick, whitening, or rounding of a corner
8
NM/MT
Centering: Must be at least 65/35
Surface: May have a scratch, small print line, color imperfection, or spot
Edges: Could have a nick or slight wear
Corners: While corners can have minor wear on one corner
7.5
NEAR MINT+
Centering: Close to 70/30
Surface: May have slight scratches, print lines, spotting, or color imperfections
Edges: May have a nick or two
Corners: 1 corner may have wear
7
NEAR MINT
Centering: Close to 70/30
Surface: May have slight scratches, print lines spotting, or other imperfections on the front/back
Edges: Have nicks on multiple edges
Corners: Have slight wear on more than just one corner
6.5
EX/NM+
Centering: May be off more than 70/30
Surface: May have moderate stains or color imperfections with slight scratches
Edges: Can be fuzzy or dinged
Corners: Can have multiple defects (rounding & whitening)
6
EX/NM
Centering: Roughly 75/25
Surface: Can be slightly out of focus with minor print lines or scratches
Edges: Have slight dings
Corners: May have multiple fuzzy corners or whitening
5.5
EX+
Centering: Centering can be less than 75/25.
Surface: The surface have focus issues with discoloration.
Edges: Whitening while edges have border issues and dings.
Corners: Corners have slight rounding or whitening while edges have border issues and dings.
5
EX
Centering: May be less than 75/25
Surface: Noticeable wear
Edges: Noticeable wear on edges
Corners: Noticeable wear
4.5
VG/EX+
Centering: May be 80/20
Surface: Containing modest wear with hairline crease
Edges: May have modest denting or rounding
Corners: With slightly rounded corners
4
VG/EX
Centering: May be 85/15
Surface: Has slight wear, creasing, or focus and coloration issues
Edges: Have border whitening and rounding
Corners: Slightly rounded corners or whitening
3.5
VG+
Centering: Between 85/15 and 90/10
Surface: Some wear and discoloration
Edges: Slight dents
Corners: Some rounding
3
VG
Centering: Could be 90/10
Surface: Some creasing, poor focus, and discoloration or staining of the surface
Edges: May have dents but no tears.
Corners: Corners rounded but not excessive
2.5
GOOD+
Centering: 95/05
Surface: Significant damage to the card with rounded corners, heavy creasing, bad centering, and even writing on the surface
Edges: May have dents or a slight crease
Corners: Rounded
2
GOOD
Centering: 100/0
Surface: Heavy damage to entire card such as creasing, miscuts, tears, writing
Edges: May have crease or slight tear
Corners: Rounded or slight crease
1.5
FAIR
Centering: Image is partially cut off
Surface: Significant damages containing stains, cuts, tears, and heavy creasing
Edges: Significant tears are present
Corners: Significant creases are present
1
POOR
Centering: Image is cut off
Surface: Complete damage to the entire card
Edges: Missing portion of the card with stains, cuts, writing, and extreme creases
Corners: Tears and/or missing corners