Grading Guides

Damage

Explanation: The extent to which a card exhibits one or more conditioning factors that independently or together result in a card being Damaged in condition. “Damaged” is both a condition and a factor to consider when evaluating a card’s overall condition.

Terms: Foreign substance, non-manufacturing ink, tear, hole, sun damage, splits

  • Foreign Substance – Any visible substance or residue on the card that is not considered Grime
  • Non-Manufacturing Ink – Any ink on the card’s surface not from manufacturing
  • Tear – A rip through the card
  • Split – Separation of the card’s layers and/or exposure of the glue core; often on corners.
  • Sun Damage – Fading or yellowing caused by extreme or prolonged exposure to the sun
  • Hole – A puncture in any part of the card

These imperfections will reduce a card’s condition to Damaged:

  • Curling – More than 5mm of lift from flat surface at center
  • Defect – More than 10mm² of a card’s surface area*
    • (Defects that impact a card’s integrity or ability to authenticate.)
  • Fault – More than 40mm² of a card’s surface area
    • Liquid – Any liquid exposure that results in the structural integrity of the card being compromised.
    • Peels – A peel that is more than 5mm in length.
  • Surface Wear – More than 40mm² of a card’s surface area

*Defects that impact cards integrity or ability to authenticate.