What Is Near Mint? A Beginner's Guide to Pokémon Card Conditions

If you've ever bought or sold Pokémon singles online, you've encountered condition grades: NM, LP, MP, HP. These abbreviations are the universal language of the TCG secondary market — and understanding them means you'll never be surprised by what shows up in the mail.

Why Card Condition Matters

Card condition directly affects value. A Near Mint copy of a popular card can be worth significantly more than a Heavily Played version of the same card. For competitive players, condition matters less than for collectors — but for grading submissions, display collections, and resale, condition is everything.

The Four Main Conditions

Near Mint (NM)

Near Mint is the gold standard for singles on the secondary market. An NM card looks essentially new — it was handled carefully from the time it was pulled from the pack.

What to look for in an NM card:

• No visible surface scratches when held under direct light.

• Clean, white edges with no chipping, fraying, or whitening.

• No creases, dents, or pressure marks.

• Corners intact with no peeling or softness.

• Card face and back are clean and unmarked.

• Centering may be slightly off, but artwork is not cut into.

At Cardboard Addictions, Near Mint singles are graded to a PSA 7 or higher equivalent — meaning the card would receive at least a 7 if sent to a professional grading company. Centering is not factored into raw card condition grading; a card with slightly off centering can still qualify as NM based on surface and edge condition.

Lightly Played (LP)

A Lightly Played card shows minor signs of use that are visible under close inspection but don't significantly impact the card's appearance from a normal viewing distance.

What to look for in an LP card:

• Light surface scratches visible when tilted under light.

• Very minor edge whitening at one or two corners.

• Possibly a very slight border scuff.

• No creases, bends, or major wear.

• Card remains flat with no warping.

LP cards are an excellent value for competitive players — they're functional at the table, significantly cheaper than NM, and often hard to distinguish in sleeves.

Moderately Played (MP)

Moderately Played cards show clear signs of use. The card is still structurally sound, but wear is visible without close inspection.

What to look for in an MP card:

• Noticeable scratching across the card face or back.

• Edge whitening across multiple corners or along the card border.

• Minor creasing that doesn't break the card surface.

• Small border scuffs or indentations.

• Still playable in sleeves for competitive or casual play.

Heavily Played (HP)

A Heavily Played card has significant visible damage. It's still identifiable and functional, but the wear is immediately apparent.

What to look for in an HP card:

• Heavy scratching, scuffing, or cloudiness on card faces.

• Significant edge whitening or fraying across most corners.

• Creases visible from a normal viewing distance.

• Possible water damage marks, staining, or minor tears.

• Still readable and playable, but not suitable for display or grading.

Damaged (D)

A Damaged card has structural issues that affect its integrity — major tears, deep creases that break the surface, heavy water damage, writing on the card, or other damage that compromises the card itself. Damaged cards are rarely worth purchasing unless the card is an extremely rare variant.

A Note on Centering

Centering refers to how evenly the artwork is positioned within the card border. A well-centred card has even borders on all sides. Poor centering — where the art is noticeably shifted to one side — is a factory printing variance, not a condition issue caused by use.

When buying raw singles, centering is typically not factored into condition grades (NM, LP, etc.). However, centering is heavily weighted by professional grading companies like PSA and BGS and directly affects the numerical grade a card receives. If you're buying to grade, centering is a critical factor to evaluate.

Shopping for Singles with Confidence

When you buy singles from Cardboard Addictions, every card is graded against clear condition standards so you know exactly what you're getting. Have questions about a specific card's condition? Reach out before you order — we're happy to provide additional photos or details.

Browse our full selection of singles across all conditions at cardboardaddictions.ca. We ship across Canada and internationally to select countries.