ABUGames.com Detailed Magic the Gathering Cards Condition and Grading Guide
The following condition grades are used at ABUGames.com for Magic Card Singles- Mint (MINT) - Near Mint (NM) - Played (PLD) - Heavily Played (HP) - Very Heavily Played (VERY HP) Grading the condition of a Magic card is always subjective and unfortunately is not scientific. Although we do our best to adhere to the below guidelines, judgment calls must be made when cards are close to one grade or another. We guarantee the condition of the cards we sell. If you feel that a card in your order has been graded incorrectly and would like a refund or exchange please e-mail within 5 days of receiving your order. We will do our best to work with you. View our frequently asked questions section at the bottom of this page. |
Mint (MINT) |
If you like to have your cards in superb condition MINT cards are a great option.
MINT cards are only allowed one or maybe two of these very minor flaws:
A slight deviation/nic on an edge/corner.
A tiny surface scratch, usually it will only show under certain lighting at an angle.
Slightly off centered.
A minor printing error.
Very slight curling on foils.
Examples of MINT cards-
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Near Mint (NM) |
The majority of the cards ABUGames sells are graded NM condition. We suggest these if you are looking for cards that look good and will always be sleeve playable.
NM cards may have a few of these minor flaws:
Minor surface scratching on front or back.
Minor edge/corner wear or nics. Off centered.
Minor printing errors. Minor curling or minor clouding on Foils.
(Some specialty releases like commander/from the vault have foils that are more curled that we still sell as NM) Examples of NM cards-
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Played (PLD) |
Cards in PLD condition are great for when you are looking for cards to play with and are not very concerned with how they look. Most often these cards will be tournament playable in sleeves but it might be best to check with a judge if you have any concerns. These cards should never have rips, creases, inked edges, or water damage.
PLD cards may have these flaws:
Moderate surface scratching/whitening on front or back.
Moderate edge/corner wear or nics.
Moderate curling. Moderate clouding on Foils.
Minor binder indentation. Stamped from pro events.
Examples of PLD cards-
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Heavily Played (HP) |
When you want to get cards for casual play as cheap as possible there's a good chance HP cards will suite your needs. These cards may not be tournament playable so you should consult a head judge to clear these cards before using in a tournament. HP cards usually have significant play wear but sometimes one major flaw like a minor crease will make a card HP. At times a card (very common on Unlimited cards) will look decent on the front but have Major surface wear on the back bringing it down to HP. Cards are graded HP when the integrity of the corners or edge is in question.
HP cards may have these flaws:
Major surface scratching/whitening on front or back.
Major edge/corner wear or nics.
Minor creases but not across the entire card top to bottom or side to side.
Moderate amount of Inking or writing on the front or back.
Moderate center shuffle creasing. Moderate warping. Major foil curling
Minor to Moderate water damage.
Moderate binder indentation.
Artist signature that has been smudged or faded. Collectors' Edition cards with clipped corners. Examples of HP cards-
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Very Heavily Played (VERY HP) |
VERY HP Cards are not for the feint of heart. Pretty much anything goes with these cards. The value of Very Heavily Played cards depends on the severity of the damage. We do not have a set price we pay for these cards and each card is individually discounted. These cards are tagged "VERY HP" and include a picture.
VERY HP cards may have these flaws:
Insane Major surface whitening, corner wear, or edge wear to the point you cant see the card text or picture or parts of the card is missing.
Major creasing.
Major Inking (Example: a white bordered card inked black).
Major center shuffle creasing to the point there is no card integrity. Major warping. Major water damage.
Major binder indentation.
Any tearing or Holes. Examples of VERY HP cards-
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Q: Do you downgrade the grade on Artist Signed Cards?
A: We do not downgrade the condition of a card if it has been signed by the original artist so long as the signature is not faded or smudged. We will usually downgrade cards with faded or smudged signatures to Heavily Played condition. We accept artist signed cards at the same rate as unsigned on our buylist.
Q: How do you grade Unlimited Cards with two horizontal lines across the front or back?
A: We consider this imperfection as a minor flaw as it is a somewhat common factory flaw. We will not sell these above NM condition and try to note them with the tag "UNL lines" on those with pictures.
Q: Do you go by the grade on the lable of a BGS or PSA Graded Card?
A: No. We look at the card inside the case of a Graded Card to determine what condition it falls into our guidelines.
Q: How do you grade Misprinted cards?
A: We ignore the Misprint part of the card when grading these. So for example, if a card is Crimped or has a huge Printing Error we will still grade the card as NM if the rest of the card is NM. Due to the unique nature of Misprints we address their value on a case by case basis. If you have some Misprints to sell or trade feel free to contact us.
Q: What condition of cards will you NOT buy or sell?
A: Non-Genuine or Fake Cards - We only deal in Authentic Magic the Gathering cards.
A: Clipped Beta - Beta cards that have had there corners clipped to look like Alpha.
A: Re-backed Collectors' Edition - Collectors' Edition cards that have had their backs replaced with a normal magic back.
A: Stinky Cards - Cards that smell like Smoke or any other strange odor.