Pokémon card condition guide
The prices on CheckCardValue are for raw, Near Mint copies, the condition most market data refers to. A played card sells for less. Use this guide to judge your card's condition honestly, then adjust the price.
How condition changes the price
Typical share of the Near Mint price a raw card sells for. These are rough estimates; rare and vintage cards can drop much more for the same wear.
| Condition | Short | Of NM price (est.) | $100 NM card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near Mint | NM | ~100% | ~$100 |
| Lightly Played | LP | ~85% | ~$85 |
| Moderately Played | MP | ~70% | ~$70 |
| Heavily Played | HP | ~50% | ~$50 |
| Damaged | DMG | ~30% | ~$30 |
Near Mint (NM)
Looks unplayed. At most a tiny white speck on an edge or corner, visible only when you look closely.
- Sharp corners
- No scratches on the holo or surface under light
- No bends, dents or creases
Lightly Played (LP)
Light play wear: a few small white spots on edges or corners, or a couple of light surface scuffs.
- Minor edge whitening
- Light scratches only visible at an angle
- No creases or bends
Moderately Played (MP)
Clearly played: whitening along several edges, corner wear, scratches visible at a glance.
- Noticeable edge and corner wear
- Visible surface scratches or clouding on holos
- A very light bend at most
Heavily Played (HP)
Heavy wear: major whitening, scuffing, small creases or a bend, but the card is still whole.
- Creases or a bend
- Heavy whitening on most edges
- Writing or stains can push a card here
Damaged (DMG)
Torn, water-damaged, heavily creased, written on or otherwise structurally damaged.
- Tears or missing pieces
- Water damage or warping
- Deep creases, ink or sticker residue
How to check a card in 60 seconds
- Back first. Edge whitening shows most clearly on the blue border of the back.
- Corners. Look for rounding, fraying or white dots on all four.
- Surface. Tilt the card under a bright light to spot scratches, print lines and clouding on holo foil.
- Bends and creases. Lay it flat and look along it from the side.
- Centering. Compare the border widths left/right and top/bottom. It matters most if you plan to grade.
When in doubt, call it one grade lower. Buyers return cards listed as Near Mint that turn out to be Lightly Played far more often than the other way round.
Know the condition? Get the price.
Scan your card to see its Near Mint market value per variant, or browse the set lists. Sorting a big pile first? Try the bulk card value calculator.
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