Near Mint & Card Condition Explained: Buy Singles With Confidence

“Near Mint,” “Lightly Played,” “graded” — card condition terms can be confusing. Here’s a simple guide so you know exactly what you’re buying when you shop for singles.

The condition scale

• Mint (M) — flawless, effectively perfect.
• Near Mint (NM) — looks fresh from a pack with at most tiny, hard-to-spot wear. This is the standard most collectors and players want.
• Lightly / Moderately Played — visible wear such as edge whitening, light scratches or surface marks.
• Heavily Played / Damaged — significant creases, bends or damage.

What to check on a card

1. Corners — sharp, no whitening or fraying.
2. Edges — clean, no chipping.
3. Surface — no scratches, print lines or clouding (tilt it under light).
4. Centering — how even the borders are; matters most to graders and collectors.

Our guarantee

We hand-check every single and grade it Near Mint (NM) or better before it ships, and we note the finish (Holo, Reverse Holo) on each listing. If a card ever arrives below the condition described, our refund policy has you covered — we’ll replace or refund it.

Why condition affects price

Condition is a big driver of a card’s value — an NM chase card is worth far more than a played copy. Buying NM singles protects your collection’s value and keeps decks looking sharp. Browse our hand-checked English and Japanese singles, all sleeved and shipped PH-wide with free shipping over ₱500.