Understanding Card Conditions

At TCG Direct, we use a strict 5-point grading scale to ensure you know exactly what you're buying. All sellers are required to list cards using these definitions:

1. Near Mint (NM)

Cards in Near Mint condition show minimal to no wear from shuffling, play, or handling and can have a nearly unmarked surface, crisp corners, and unblemished edges outside of a few minimal nicks.

• Allowed: A tiny edge nick or a microscopic scratch is permissible.

• Not Allowed: Clouding, creases, or visible surface wear.

2. Lightly Played (LP)

Lightly Played cards may have minor border or corner wear or even just slight scuffs or scratches. There are no major defects.

• Allowed: Minor border wear, corner wear, slight scratches, or scuffing.

• Not Allowed: Liquid damage, bends, or creases.

3. Moderately Played (MP)

Moderately Played cards can have border wear, corner wear, scratching or scuffing, creases or whitening, or minor dirt or slight bends.

• Allowed: Border wear, corner wear, scratching, scuffing, creases, whitening, or minor dirt.

• Not Allowed: Liquid damage or major structural damage.

4. Heavily Played (HP)

Heavily Played cards show a severe amount of wear given the card's age. They may have major creasing, folding, heavy water damage, or heavy whitening.

• Note: These cards are still tournament legal in sleeves if they do not have specific markings that make them identifiable.

5. Damaged (DMG)

Damaged cards can exhibit a tear, bend, or crease that may make the card illegal for tournament play, even in a sleeve.

• Examples: Cards with tears, holes, water damage that warps the card, or severe bends.