Condition Checklist

Walk through the card before you submit it. Catch centering, surface, edge, and crease issues that can cap the grade.

Best For

Raw Cards

Output

Grade Range

Front of Card

Corners sharp with no dings or bends?

Edges clean with no whitening or chips?Major

Surface free of scratches or scuffs?Critical

Free of print lines or roller marks?Major

Gloss intact with no print loss?

Back of Card

Corners sharp?

Edges clean with no chipping?Major

Back clean with no stains or ink?Major

Free of notable print defects?

Big Grade Risks

No crease or wrinkle under normal light?Hard Stop

Patch or embossing area is clean?Major

Autograph is clean with no smudge or streak?

No surface indents or pressure marks?Major

Centering

Front Centering

Use the front border first. A badly off-center card rarely grades high.

Back Centering

Back centering matters too, but the front usually drives the eye appeal.