How we choose conditions

Last updated 21 August 2026

Every single card we sell is listed at a condition, and that condition is part of the legal description of what you are buying. If a card arrives materially below the condition we gave it, that is not a change of mind — it is a misdescription, and we pay the return postage. See our returns policy.

We use the Cardmarket seven-point condition scale, because we also sell there and using one vocabulary in both places means a card described as Excellent means the same thing wherever you find it.

How we assess a card

Every card is checked out of its sleeve, front and back, under a daylight bulb, held at an angle so surface scratches show. We judge by the worst feature on the card — a card with perfect corners and one visible crease is listed on the crease.

When we are between two conditions, we list the lower one. We would much rather you were pleased than disappointed.

The conditions

Mint (MT)

Perfect. As it came out of the pack, with no flaw visible under close inspection at any angle. Sharp corners, clean edges, flawless surface, centred within normal printing tolerance.

We use this condition rarely, and generally only for cards that have come straight from a pack into a sleeve in front of us. Most cards that look perfect are Near Mint.

Near Mint (NM)

Looks unplayed. May have the tiniest manufacturing imperfection or the faintest edge wear visible only when tilted into the light.

  • Corners sharp, no whitening you would notice
  • Surface clean, no scratches at normal viewing angle
  • No bends, creases or indentations
  • Centring may be slightly off — this is a print variance, not damage

This is the condition most sensibly stored modern cards fall into.

Excellent (EX)

Very light wear, visible if you look for it, not visible across a table.

  • Minor edge or corner whitening on one or two corners
  • Perhaps one very light surface scratch, visible only at an angle
  • No creases, no bends, no indentations
  • Still perfectly presentable and tournament legal in a sleeve

Good (GD)

Moderate wear, obvious on close inspection but the card is intact.

  • Whitening on several corners or along an edge
  • Light surface scratching or slight loss of gloss
  • Possibly a very light bend that does not break the card's surface
  • No creases

Light Played (LP)

Clearly played with, structurally sound.

  • Noticeable corner and edge wear
  • Visible surface scratching, scuffing or loss of gloss
  • May have one light crease or a soft bend
  • Still fine to play with in a sleeve

Played (PL)

Heavy wear. Everything still readable and identifiable.

  • Significant whitening on all corners and edges
  • Heavy scratching, scuffing or clouding
  • One or more creases
  • May have minor surface damage, small tears at the edge, or light water rippling

Poor (PO)

Damaged. Sold as a filler, a proxy for a deck, or for the art.

  • Severe creasing, tears, holes or missing corners
  • Heavy water damage, ink marks, writing, stickers or residue
  • Bent out of shape

We photograph every Poor card individually, and we say exactly what is wrong with it on the product page.

Things we always tell you regardless of condition

These are called out separately on the product page whatever the condition, because they matter to buyers independently of condition:

  • Whitening on the back border of dark-bordered cards, which is where it shows most
  • Off-centre printing beyond normal tolerance
  • Print lines, ink spots and other factory defects
  • Writing, stamps, stickers or collector marks of any kind
  • Water damage or rippling, at any severity
  • Signatures, and whether they are authenticated
  • Alterations or artist modifications

Photographs

Every single card is photographed as the actual card you will receive. What you see is the copy that goes in the envelope, not a stock scan of another copy.

Foiling, holo patterns and print texture are genuinely hard to photograph. A foil that looks slightly different in your hand from the photograph is not a fault; a foil with a scratch we did not disclose is.

Sealed, professionally graded and slabbed

  • Sealed product is not given a condition on this scale. We describe the condition of the outer packaging, since corner and edge damage to a sealed box affects its value.
  • Professionally graded cards — PSA, BGS, CGC and so on — are sold at the grade on the slab, with the certification number on the product page so you can verify it yourself. We do not grade those ourselves and we do not open slabs.

If you disagree with a condition

Tell us. Email hello@runestone-vault.co.uk with the order number and a photograph.

Assessing condition is a judgement call and we get it wrong sometimes. If we have, it is a misdescription: we pay the return postage and refund you in full, and we would rather know than have you quietly not come back.