The Gold Standard in Grading

A card that is virtually perfect in every way. Centring must be approximately 50/50 to 55/45, corners must be perfectly sharp or rounded, edges must be free of any chipping, and the surface must be pristine with full original gloss. No imperfections or print flaws are visible, even under magnification.

A card that just misses the Gem Mint 10. It may have one very minor imperfection, such as centring being 60/40, one corner being minutely imperfect upon close inspection, or a single, barely perceptible print spot.

A superb condition card that exhibits only a few minor flaws. Common allowances include 60/40 to 65/35 centring, a couple of very slight corner touches, or a minor print defect. The surface remains clean with full gloss.

NEAR MINT - MINT+: A card that looks Mint at first glance but has imperfections that prevent a 9. This could be 70/30 centring, or a Mint 9 card that has one additional flaw, like a very small surface scratch (only visible under light) or minor edge wear.

NEAR MINT - MINT: A high-end card with flaws that are more noticeable. Examples include 70/30 or 75/25 centring, slightly fuzzy corners, or minor surface wear. The card must still have good eye appeal.

NEAR MINT+: A Near Mint card that is exceptionally strong for its grade. May have 80/20 centring, but other attributes are very clean. Or, it could be a card with 7-grade centering but Mint corners and edges.

NEAR MINT: A card with slight surface wear visible upon close inspection, such as a few light scratches. May have slight corner fraying, minor print blemishes, or off-white borders.

EXCELLENT - NEAR MINT+: A card that is between an EX-MT 6 and a NM 7. It may have NM 7 qualities but one flaw, such as a light surface scratch or 85/15 centring, holds it back.

EXCELLENT - NEAR MINT: May have more noticeable surface wear (light scuffing) or a printing defect that does not detract from its overall appeal. Corners may show moderate fuzziness. The original gloss may be slightly reduced.

EXCELLENT+: An Excellent card that is very clean for its grade. May have slightly rounded corners and some surface wear, but no major creases. Eye appeal is still strong.

EXCELLENT: Shows more significant signs of handling. May have minor rounding of corners, noticeable surface scuffs or scratches, and some loss of original gloss. No major creases.

VERY GOOD - EXCELLENT+: A "Very Good-Excellent Plus" card. This bridges the gap, showing clear signs of handling but is still in solid condition.

VERY GOOD - EXCELLENT: A card with more pronounced corner wear, light scuffing, and possible light creasing. The surface may show scratches and moderate loss of gloss.

VERY GOOD+: A "Very Good Plus" card. It's a card that has been clearly handled but is on the higher end of the Very Good grade.

VERY GOOD: Shows clear signs of handling. Corners are noticeably rounded, and the surface may have multiple scratches or a moderate crease. Edges may show chipping.

GOOD+: A "Good Plus" card. This card has significant wear but is cleaner than a standard "Good" card.

GOOD: A heavily worn card. May have significant corner rounding, heavy creasing, severe scratches, or staining. The card's integrity is still intact.

FAIR+: A "Fair Plus" card. This card has heavy wear, damage, or major creases, but is still fully intact and on the better side of "Fair."

POOR: A card with major, debilitating flaws. This includes heavy creasing, tears, missing pieces, water damage, or writing on the card. It may be barely holding together.

This card has been verified as genuine by the grader but does not receive a numerical grade. This is often used for cards that have been altered (e.g., trimmed, re-coloured) or at the owner's request during submission.