Two copies of the same printing can be in very different condition. TCG Actana therefore records condition on the individual copy you own, alongside its printing, language, finish, and quantity.
Actana uses the seven grades from MT to PO found on Cardmarket. The short descriptions below are only a starting point. Grading is a judgement, so check Cardmarket’s current condition guide whenever the distinction matters, especially before a sale.
The seven condition grades at a glance
| Code | Condition | Broad guide |
|---|---|---|
| MT | Mint | no visible wear or damage |
| NM | Near Mint | close to new, with no meaningful wear |
| EX | Excellent | light signs of handling or play |
| GD | Good | clear wear, while the card remains intact |
| LP | Light Played | pronounced wear or minor damage |
| PL | Played | heavy wear or damage |
| PO | Poor | severe damage |
Do not treat a card as Mint simply because it came straight from a pack. Edge damage or another visible flaw can already be present. When you are unsure between two grades, the more conservative choice keeps your records easier to trust.
Inspect the physical card, not only its scan
Remove the card from a reflective sleeve and look at the front and back under even light. Tilting it slightly can reveal marks that disappear in a straight-on view.
Check these areas in turn:
- Corners: Look for rounding, whitening, or small bends.
- Edges: Check for chips, pale marks, and splits.
- Surface: Look for scratches, dents, clouding, dirt, or pressure marks.
- Back: Damage often stands out more clearly against a dark card back.
- Shape: Check whether the card lies flat or has a lasting bend or crease.
Centring and printing quality may matter to collectors, but they are not automatically signs of wear. That distinction is another reason to use the marketplace’s full guidance for a sale.
Why Actana leaves the grade to you
Actana can help identify the card and printing, but a front image cannot show every mark on the physical copy. It cannot reliably judge the back, a shallow dent, or how the surface catches the light.
You choose the condition yourself and can change it later in your collection. Finish is also a manual choice and should be checked before you add a scan batch to the collection.
Keep the record useful over time
Use the same standard across your collection and recheck valuable cards in hand when the condition matters. The market value shown in Actana is a reference for the recorded printing and, where separate data exists, its finish; it is not automatically adjusted to the condition of your copy. The guide to market values and price history explains that distinction and the possible finish fallback.