Pokemon Card Condition Guide

Card condition is one of the most important factors in determining a Pokemon card's value. The TCG market uses standard condition grades that describe the amount of wear and damage on a card. Understanding these grades helps you buy and sell with confidence.

Near Mint (NM): The card appears fresh out of a pack with minimal to no visible wear. There may be very minor imperfections like a tiny factory print line, but no whitening on edges or corners, no surface scratches visible to the naked eye, and crisp corners. Most 'new' singles sold on TCGPlayer are NM.

Lightly Played (LP): The card shows minor wear that is visible upon close inspection. This includes slight edge whitening, minor corner softness, light surface scratches, or minimal border scuffing. The card still looks good from arm's length. LP cards typically sell for 10-20% less than NM.

Moderately Played (MP): Clear signs of wear that are visible at a glance. This includes noticeable edge whitening, corner wear, surface scratches, minor creasing (without breaking the surface), and clouding on holos. MP cards sell for 30-50% less than NM.

Heavily Played (HP): Significant wear affecting the card's appearance. Heavy whitening on all edges, rounded or damaged corners, deep scratches, creases that may break the surface, and water damage or staining. HP cards sell for 50-70% less than NM but are still playable in sleeves.

Damaged (DMG): The card has severe damage including heavy creases, tears, writing on the card, missing pieces, or extreme water damage. Damaged cards sell for 70-90% less than NM and may be rejected by some buyers. They are typically only purchased for play use (in opaque sleeves) or as placeholders.