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Union ArenaTrading Card Condition Guide
Sleevd describes raw cards on five steps, Near Mint down to Damaged. Near Mint is the reference every price is quoted in, and the other steps carry a suggested percentage of it, from 85 per cent for Lightly Played to 40 per cent for Damaged. Photographs support the condition a seller picks; they do not replace it.
Sleevd follows commonly established trading card marketplace practices to provide buyers and sellers with a consistent way to describe the condition of raw trading cards.
Sleevd uses five condition categories for raw trading cards, ranging from Near Mint (NM) to Damaged (DMG). These are the categories used across most trading card marketplaces and collection apps, so a collection exported from one of them carries over without being reinterpreted.
Near Mint (NM) is the standard reference condition used for card pricing on Sleevd. Where available, market price data refers to a Near Mint copy. Suggested prices for other conditions may be adjusted relative to that reference price.
The Five Card Conditions
Card condition is determined by the type, severity and overall extent of visible imperfections.
Common factors include edge and corner wear, scratches, scuffing, surface wear, dents or indentations, bends or creases, grime, printing or manufacturing defects, and structural damage. Sellers should assess the card as a whole and select the condition that most accurately represents it.
The percentages below are pricing references only. They are intended to help sellers set a price and do not represent a guaranteed market value. Sellers remain free to set their own listing price.
| Code | Condition | What it looks like | Of Near Mint |
|---|---|---|---|
| NM | Near Mint | A card with minimal handling or play wear. Small imperfections may be visible on close inspection, such as slight edgewear, minor scratches, light scuffing or a very small indentation. Bends, creases, grime, structural damage and significant surface wear are not consistent with Near Mint condition. | 100% |
| LP | Lightly Played | A clean card showing light signs of handling or play. Minor edgewear, scratches, scuffing or small surface imperfections may be present, but the card should remain well preserved overall and should not show significant structural damage. | 85% |
| MP | Moderately Played | A card with noticeable signs of play or handling. Wear may include more visible edgewear, scratches, scuffing, surface wear, small indentations or minor bends. The card should remain structurally sound and clearly identifiable, and it is clearly below a collector condition. | 75% |
| HP | Heavily Played | A heavily used card with substantial visible wear. This may include significant edgewear, scratches, scuffing, surface wear, dents, bends, grime or minor creasing. The card remains identifiable and substantially intact but shows extensive handling or play. | 60% |
| DMG | Damaged | A card with severe wear, damage or compromised integrity. Examples include major creases or folds, tears, punctures, significant liquid or water damage, foreign substances or non-manufacturing ink, severe peeling or splitting, or damage that obscures important card information. | 40% |
Important
Conditioning is inherently an assessment rather than an exact measurement, and reasonable differences in interpretation can occur. Sellers should consider the card as a whole, including the type, severity and number of imperfections present. A significant imperfection may place a card in a lower condition even where the remainder of the card is comparatively clean.
Photographs form an important part of the listing, but they do not replace the seller's responsibility to select an appropriate condition and clearly disclose significant imperfections.
How Sleevd Uses Condition-Based Price References
Market price references displayed on Sleevd are generally based on Near Mint cards where suitable pricing data is available.
To make listing easier, Sleevd may apply a percentage to the Near Mint reference price when suggesting a starting price for another condition. For example, a Lightly Played card may receive a suggested price based on approximately 85% of the Near Mint reference price.
These figures are suggestions only. Actual trading card prices can vary significantly depending on the individual card, rarity, demand, language, edition, availability and current market conditions. Sellers may list above or below the suggested price.
Card Condition vs. Card Grade
A card condition and a professional card grade are not the same thing. In trading card terminology, conditioning generally describes placing a raw card within a non-numeric condition category, while grading generally refers to a numerical assessment performed by a professional grading service.
The condition categories in this guide, such as Near Mint, Lightly Played or Moderately Played, are used to describe raw, ungraded trading cards.
A graded card has been inspected and encapsulated by a professional grading company such as PSA, BGS or CGC and is sold according to the grade shown on its certification label.
For example:
- Raw card: Near Mint (NM)
- Graded card: PSA 9
Graded cards listed on Sleevd should therefore use their professional grade rather than the raw-card condition scale described on this page.
What to Check When Buying or Selling a Card
When assessing the condition of a trading card, check the following areas carefully:
- Corners: Look for whitening, rounding, bending, dents or other visible wear.
- Edges: Check for whitening, chipping, silvering and edge damage on both the front and back.
- Surface: Tilt the card under a suitable light to look for scratches, scuffs, print lines, dents or other surface imperfections.
- Creases and structural damage: Check for bends, creases, tears, water damage or other defects affecting the physical structure of the card.
- Alterations or markings: Look for ink, writing, colouring, trimming or other modifications to the original card.
What about centering and manufacturing defects?
Printing and manufacturing characteristics should be considered in the context of the card's manufacturer and print run. Characteristics such as centering, ink variation, print lines, foil issues or other production defects can occur without being caused by handling or play.
For that reason, a manufacturing characteristic does not automatically place a card in a lower condition. Its severity and effect on the card should be considered. Significant defects, particularly those affecting the card's integrity or authenticity, should always be clearly disclosed in the listing.
What If a Card Arrives in a Different Condition?
If a card you receive materially differs from the condition stated in the listing, you may report the issue through Sleevd. The window for doing so is 72 hours from delivery.
Condition-related claims are assessed using the listing information, photographs, evidence provided by the buyer and seller, this guide, and generally recognised trading card conditioning practices. Sleevd's role is to apply these references consistently to listings on the marketplace rather than to provide professional card grading.
For this reason, sellers should always select the condition that accurately reflects the card and provide clear photographs showing any significant wear or defects.
For full details about claims and disputes, please refer to the Buyer Protection and Disputes.
Common questions
What does NM mean on a trading card listing?
NM means Near Mint. A Near Mint trading card is in very clean condition with no significant visible wear, although very minor imperfections may be visible on close inspection. Near Mint is also the standard condition used for Sleevd's raw-card reference pricing.
Is Light Played the same as Lightly Played?
Generally, yes. Sleevd uses Lightly Played (LP), which is the name used by TCGplayer, Collectr and most other marketplaces. Some sites write the same step as Light Played. Condition names and exact thresholds can still vary between marketplaces, so the Sleevd condition shown on the listing and the definitions in this guide should be used when buying or selling on Sleevd.
Does Near Mint mean the card will receive a high PSA grade?
No. Near Mint is a raw-card condition, not a guarantee of a professional grade. Professional grading companies consider additional factors and apply their own grading standards. A card listed as Near Mint on Sleevd is therefore not guaranteed to achieve any particular PSA, BGS, CGC or other professional grade.
Can a Heavily Played or Damaged card still be used in a tournament?
Potentially. Tournament legality depends on the rules of the individual trading card game and event. Damage that makes a card identifiable from the back, such as significant bends or creases, may prevent it from being tournament legal even when used with sleeves. Players should check the applicable tournament rules before using heavily worn or damaged cards.
What happened to Mint, Excellent, Good and Poor?
Sleevd previously used a seven step scale with those names on it. The scale is now the five step one used by TCGplayer, Collectr and most other marketplaces, so an exported collection can be imported without any step being guessed at. Existing listings moved to the step nearest the price they carried: Mint to Near Mint, Excellent to Lightly Played, Good and the old Light Played to Moderately Played, Played to Heavily Played, and Poor to Damaged.
What happens if I disagree with the condition selected by a seller?
If the card materially differs from its listed condition, you can raise a claim within 72 hours of delivery. Sleevd may compare the card against the standards in this guide and review the available listing photographs and evidence when assessing the claim.