MTG Card Condition Guide: Inspect, Describe and Compare

Before pricing a Magic card, take it out of its sleeve carefully and inspect both sides under a good light. Then use the condition rules of the marketplace where you plan to buy or sell. Near Mint is a marketplace description, not a promise of a particular grading-company score.

Inspect the card without changing it

Work over a clean, dry surface and hold the card by its edges. Start with the front and back, then look at the corners and all four edges. Tilt it under the light to see surface wear that a straight-on photo can hide.

Look for white spots along the border, rounded corners, scratches, dull patches, dents, creases, tears and signs of moisture. Note where each flaw is and whether it is visible straight on or only at an angle. Do not run a fingernail across the surface or rub a mark to test it: the inspection should leave the card as you found it.

For a foil, check the reflective surface and photograph any curl from the side. Describe the curl rather than trying to flatten it for the photo. A sleeve can hide a flaw; it does not remove it.

Choose the right condition scale

The names depend on the marketplace:

Marketplace	Listed conditions, from highest to lowest
TCGplayer	Near Mint (NM), Lightly Played (LP), Moderately Played (MP), Heavily Played (HP), Damaged
Cardmarket	Mint (M), Near Mint (NM), Excellent (EX), Good (GD), Light Played (LP), Played (PL), Poor (PO)

Use TCGplayer’s condition guide or Cardmarket’s condition guide, including their examples and special cases. The shared abbreviation LP does not make the two categories equivalent. Do not copy a condition from one platform to another without checking its definition.

Assess the whole card, including the less attractive side. Cardmarket explicitly applies the same condition criteria to old and new cards: age does not turn visible wear into Near Mint. A numeric slab grade is a separate assessment, with no automatic conversion from these selling categories.

Describe the wear a buyer needs to see

“Small white spots on the two bottom back corners; light surface scratching visible when tilted; no crease seen” is more useful than “great for its age.” This is a description of observations, not a predetermined condition grade.

Take clear photos of both sides and close-ups of the flaws. Mention creases, moisture damage, ink or other alterations explicitly, and check how your marketplace handles them. If the category is uncertain, show the photos and resolve it before agreeing on a price. A condition label alone does not establish authenticity or tournament legality.

Compare like-for-like prices

Match the set, collector number, language and finish before comparing copies in the same condition. Use recent comparable sales where available and keep asking prices separate. There is no universal percentage that turns a Near Mint quote into the value of a worn copy.

Our guide to checking a Magic card’s value explains how to identify the exact printing and compare offers. Keep your condition photos alongside that record, especially when selling several copies with different wear.

Use Scrytics to identify the printing

In Scrytics, check the scan result and use Pick the printing to select the matching version before adding it to your collection. Inspect the physical card yourself: scanning does not determine its condition, and the displayed price is not automatically discounted for its wear. Use the inventory as a starting point for comparison, then price your particular copy using its condition and the intended marketplace.