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Despite trends toward the use of professional grading companies and the good intentions of most hobbyists, the grading of sportscards remains a subjective exercise. The goal, of course, is to find a method that is widely understood and accepted for accruately describing the condition of a card.
While there is no universally accepted grading system, the guidelines shown below are representative of those used by many collectors and grading companies to aid in describing a card's condition.
| 10 |
Gem Mint (highest grade) |
The card is virtually flawless to the naked eye. Corners are exceptionally sharp, edges are clean, and the surface is free of significant scratches, stains, creases, or print defects. Centering is excellent, though the permitted tolerances vary by grading company. Minor microscopic manufacturing imperfections may still be present.
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| 9 |
Mint (MT) |
The card has a very clean overall appearance, with sharp corners and minimal wear. It may have one or two minor imperfections, such as a tiny corner touch, slight edge roughness, a small print flaw, or centering that falls short of Gem Mint standards. Surface quality remains excellent, with no substantial damage.
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| 8 |
Near Mint - Mint (NM-MT) |
The card is attractive and well-preserved, but closer inspection reveals minor flaws. These might include slight corner wear, a small edge imperfection, minor print defects, light surface scratches, or imperfect centering. The card still presents very well, especially when viewed at normal handling distance.
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| 7 |
Near Mint (NM) |
Light wear is more apparent, particularly at the corners and edges. One or more corners may show slight rounding, and the card may have minor surface wear, small print imperfections, or noticeable off-centering. The card generally retains strong eye appeal and has no major structural damage.
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| 6 |
Excellent-Near Mint (EX-NM) |
Moderate imperfections become more noticeable. Corners may be slightly rounded or show whitening, edges may have small chips, and the surface may have minor scratches or print defects. Centering can be noticeably uneven. The card remains structurally sound and generally attractive, but it no longer looks close to pristine.
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| 5 |
Excellent (EX) |
Wear is clearly visible on inspection. Corners are often rounded, edges may be chipped or rough, and the surface can show scratches, discoloration, or other signs of handling. A light crease or other significant flaw may be present depending on the grading company's standards. The card remains intact and recognizable, with reasonable overall eye appeal.
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| 4 |
Very Good-Excellent (VG-EX) |
Obvious wear is present. Corners are rounded, edges show more wear, and surface imperfections are readily visible. The card may have a noticeable crease, staining, or discoloration. Printing and image quality remain reasonably clear, but the card's condition is plainly below the Excellent range.
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| 3 |
Very Good (VG) |
Heavy wear is evident. Corners are rounded, edges may be rough or chipped, and creases or surface flaws are often prominent. Staining, discoloration, or minor paper loss may also occur. The card is still intact enough to retain its basic appearance, but its wear is unmistakable.
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| 2 |
Good (Good) |
The card shows substantial deterioration from handling, age, or storage. Corners may be heavily rounded, edges worn or damaged, and creases pronounced. Stains, surface damage, writing, or paper loss may be present. The card remains identifiable and generally retains its basic structure, but its visual condition is poor.
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| 1 |
Poor (PR) |
The card has severe condition problems, potentially including multiple heavy creases, major staining, extensive corner and edge damage, paper loss, writing, or tears. It may be badly worn or structurally compromised, although enough of the original card remains for identification. Its value is generally driven more by scarcity, subject, and historical importance than by condition.
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It should be emphasized that the above are only guidelines. It is always best to view the card (or a good quality high-resolution scan) yourself to form your own opinion about its overall grade and appeal.
On this website, the value of cards from each set is estimated for cards in Very Good (VG) condition. For pre-1950 baseball card sets, this condition is often considered to be "average" or "typical." Viewed another way, the value estimated for a VG card of a common player might be considered the ballpark price that a type collector may expect to pay for a very presentable example (one with no major defects) from that set.
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