Two copies of the same card can be worth very different amounts. The reason is almost always the same: condition. A card that came out of a pack and straight into a sleeve is not the same as one that spent five years loose in a drawer, and anyone buying, selling or trading needs a shared way to say so.
This guide explains the condition levels collectors use, how to check a card yourself, what a graded card is, and how to decide whether grading is worth your time.
The five condition levels
Most sellers and apps use the same scale. PokeTrade uses these five:
| Code | Name | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| NM | Near Mint | Looks almost new. Maybe one tiny flaw you only see when you look for it |
| LP | Lightly Played | Small signs of use: light edge wear (whitening), a few small scratches or marks |
| MP | Moderately Played | Clear wear on edges and corners, scuffs on the surface, maybe a light bend |
| HP | Heavily Played | Heavy wear, creases or bends, rough edges and corners |
| DMG | Damaged | Major problems: tears, water damage, large creases, writing, missing layers |
You may also see "Mint" or "Excellent", and the same card can be judged one step apart by two honest people. That is normal, so when in doubt, ask for photos.
How to check a card yourself
Use a bright, even light and take the card out of its sleeve if you can. Check four things in this order:
- Corners. Are they sharp and square, or soft and rounded? Look for white showing through.
- Edges. Whitening along the edge is the most common wear. Dark-edged cards show it most clearly.
- Surface. Tilt the card under the light to catch scratches, print lines, dents and fingerprints. On a holo card, scratches in the shiny area are the usual problem.
- Centering. Compare the border on the left and right, top and bottom. A card that is far off-centre can look fine and still be worth less to a collector.
Look for bends by holding the card edge-on at eye level. A bend is hard to see flat and easy to see from the side.
If the card is in a sleeve or top loader, say so in your photos. Buyers like to see the card both in and out of it.
Why condition matters in a trade
In a trade, both sides should count a card by the condition of the copy that will change hands, not by the best condition it can be found in. A Near Mint copy and a Heavily Played copy are not the same card for a fair trade.
That is how PokeTrade works. Each card in a binder or a listing carries its condition, and the app takes the condition into account when it suggests a trade and when it shows the values in an offer. It also avoids pairing cards whose conditions are very far apart. You can read more in how to trade safely.
What a graded card is
A graded card has been sent to a grading company. They inspect it, give it a numeric grade, and seal it in a plastic case called a slab. The case shows the grade and a certificate number.
Typical grades run from 1 to 10, where 10 is the best. The companies you will meet most are:
- PSA, the best known, with a grade from 1 to 10.
- CGC, which also grades from 1 to 10.
- TAG, which grades from 1 to 10 in half grades, apart from between 9 and 10.
- BGS (Beckett), with grades that include half grades and subgrades. Cards graded there still exist in collections.
The grade is the company's opinion of the card at the day they graded it. Different companies grade a little differently, so a 9 from one is not always the same as a 9 from another.
The certificate number
Every slab has a certificate (cert) number. Each grader publishes a page where you can enter it and see the card it belongs to, which is how you check that the slab is real and matches the card inside. In PokeTrade a graded card shows its grade and its cert number, and for the graders that have a public cert page, there is a link straight to it. PokeTrade does not verify the cert itself, so check it on the grader's own page.
Should you grade a card?
Grading costs money and time, and a card can come back with a lower grade than you hoped. Think about it when:
- The card is valuable enough that the grade could change its worth, and
- It looks Near Mint under a bright light: sharp corners, clean edges, a clean surface, and reasonable centering, and
- You plan to sell it or keep it for a long time. A slab protects a card and makes its condition easy to trust.
Do not bother when the card is worth little, when it has visible wear, or when you want to keep opening it and looking at it.
Compare the price of the raw card with the price of graded copies before you decide. On a card's page on the website (start from the sets), the "Thinking of grading it?" section lists the graders for your market.
Frequently asked questions
Is a graded card always worth more? No. A high grade on a rare card can multiply its worth. A low grade on a common card may be worth less than the grading fee.
What is the difference between raw and graded? Raw means not graded. Graded means a company has graded it and sealed it in a slab.
Can I trade a graded card? Yes. List it with the company, the grade and the cert number so the other person can check it.
What does "sleeved" mean in a listing? The card is in a plastic sleeve. It does not tell you the condition, only how it is being kept.
Which condition should I choose when I add a card to my binder? The honest one for that copy. Scan the card with the scanner, then set its condition, and the binder shows it everywhere you share it.
Try it
PokeTrade is free on iPhone and Android. Get the app, put your cards in a binder with their real condition, and share it with the next person who asks.