Condition guide
I use the same condition tiers TCGplayer uses. Here is what each one means when I look at your cards.
| NM Near Mint | Looks fresh out of a pack. Clean surface, sharp corners, clean edges. A tiny flaw or two is fine, such as a speck of edge whitening you only see under a light. |
| LP Lightly Played | Light wear from careful play or storage. Minor whitening on edges or corners, a few small surface scratches or a faint scuff. No creases, bends or water damage. |
| MP Moderately Played | Obvious wear. Noticeable whitening on edges and corners, surface scuffing or scratching, minor dents or a small bend that does not break the card. |
| HP Heavily Played | Heavy wear. Strong whitening, creasing, rounded corners, bends, or scuffs across the card. Still intact, but clearly well used. |
| DMG Damaged | Serious problems: tears, deep creases, water damage, peeling or missing layers, heavy marking or writing. These are worth the least and I may pass on them. |
| GRD Graded | Cards already in a third-party grading slab (PSA, BGS, CGC and similar). I go by the grade and recent sold prices for that grade, not by TCGplayer condition. |
How I price
For singles I start from the TCGplayer Market price for the Near Mint version of the card. If your card is in worse shape than Near Mint, I adjust the price when I inspect it, and I tell you what I found.
When you fill in an estimate on the Sell page, it assumes Near Mint, so expect changes for condition once I have the cards in hand.
Sleeves and toploaders help protect cards in the mail, but I judge the card itself.