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How we grade
Every card that comes across our counter — ours or yours — gets checked against the same five-point scale under the same light. Here’s exactly what each grade means.
The five-point scale
Percentages are what each condition actually sells for against the Near Mint price — the same math behind the condition pricing on every listing.
Board games & sealed product
Games get their own scale — a box doesn’t wear the way a card does, so we grade the box, the insert, and every component separately before settling on one condition.
A few things worth knowing
Foils grade a little differently
Print lines, clouding, and curling are common on foils even fresh from a pack and don't count against condition on their own — we grade the surface and edges the same as a nonfoil and note foil-specific quirks separately when they're severe.
Component counts, every time
Before a used game goes on the shelf, we count every card, tile, and meeple against the published component list. Anything short gets noted on the listing or replaced — never quietly sold as complete.
We grade in daylight-balanced light
Every card is checked under the same daylight-balanced lamp at the counter — the same light we photograph inventory under — so a grade means the same thing whether it's Tuesday morning or Friday night.
Altered or graded-slab cards
Hand-altered art and cards in third-party graded slabs (PSA, BGS, CGC) are priced individually, not on this scale — ask at the counter or in a message.
Think we got a grade wrong? Bring it back (or ship it back) within 7 days of pickup or delivery and we’ll take another look at the counter — see our Return Policy for the full window and process.