MTG Card Conditions Guide: How Condition Affects Value and Gameplay

Not all Magic cards are created equal - even the same printing can vary wildly in price based on condition.

Understanding card conditions helps you:

• Buy smart - Get playable cards cheap
• Sell fair - Price cards accurately
• Trade confidently - Avoid disputes
• Protect value - Store cards properly

The Seven Condition Grades

Near Mint (NM)

Definition: Looks fresh from pack

Characteristics:

• No visible wear
• Sharp corners
• Clean edges
• No scratches on surface
• Slight whitening on edges acceptable

Price impact: 100% (base price)

When to buy NM:

• Collecting/investing
• Premium deck showcase
• Cards you may trade later
• Reserved List or expensive staples

Lightly Played (LP)

Definition: Minor wear from casual play

Characteristics:

• Slight edge whitening
• Minor surface wear
• Corners might show tiny wear
• Still tournament-legal
• No creases or bends

Price impact: 70-85% of NM

When to buy LP:

• Budget deck building
• Cards you'll play (not collect)
• Minor wear doesn't bother you
• Save 15-30% on playables

Moderately Played (MP)

Definition: Obvious wear from regular play

Characteristics:

• Noticeable edge whitening
• Surface scratches visible
• Corner wear present
• May have small dent (no crease)
• Still tournament-legal with sleeves

Price impact: 50-70% of NM

When to buy MP:

• Casual/Commander play
• Cards you'll double-sleeve
• Heavy budget constraints
• Save 30-50% on playables

Heavily Played (HP)

Definition: Significant wear, borderline tournament-legal

Characteristics:

• Heavy edge whitening
• Multiple scratches
• Worn corners
• May have small crease
• Borderline tournament-legal (judge's call)

Price impact: 35-50% of NM

When to buy HP:

• Kitchen table Magic only
• Proxy candidate (buy cheap, proxy nice)
• Save 50-65% but expect ugliness
• Functional only

Damaged (DMG)

Definition: Major damage, not tournament-legal

Characteristics:

• Creases across card
• Tears or rips
• Water damage
• Ink marks
• Bent/warped significantly
• Not tournament-legal

Price impact: 10-35% of NM

When to buy Damaged:

• Cube where proxies allowed
• Art alteration project
• Truly desperate budget option
• Save 65-90% but card is rough

Professionally Graded (PSA/BGS/CGC)

Definition: Third-party authenticated and graded

Grades: 1 (Poor) to 10 (Gem Mint)

Price impact: Varies wildly

• PSA 10: 150-1000%+ of NM (collectible)
• PSA 9: 110-200% of NM
• PSA 7-8: 80-110% of NM
• PSA 1-6: 50-80% of NM (unless vintage)

When to buy graded:

• High-end collecting ($1000+ cards)
• Investment purposes
• Authenticity concerns (Power 9, duals)

Altered/Signed

Definition: Modified by artist or fan

Price impact: Highly variable

• Professional artist alter: 120-300% (premium)
• Fan alter: 50-120% (personal taste)
• Signed by artist: 100-150% (depends on artist)
• Random sig/drawing: 80-120% (some hate it)

When to buy altered:

• You love the art
• Personal deck showcase
• Artist signature is premium (Terese Nielsen, Rebecca Guay)

How Condition Affects Prices

Example: Lightning Bolt (Modern reprint)

Condition	TCGplayer Price	% of NM	Savings
NM	$2.00	100%	$0
LP	$1.60	80%	$0.40
MP	$1.20	60%	$0.80
HP	$0.80	40%	$1.20
DMG	$0.50	25%	$1.50

Takeaway: You can save 40-75% accepting wear on a $2 card.

Example: Underground Sea (Revised dual land)

Condition	TCGplayer Price	% of NM	Savings
NM	$650	100%	$0
LP	$520	80%	$130
MP	$390	60%	$260
HP	$260	40%	$390
DMG	$160	25%	$490

Takeaway: You can save $130-490 accepting wear on expensive cards!

Grading Cards Yourself

Step-by-Step Grading

1. Check corners - Sharp? Rounded? Dinged?
2. Inspect edges - White? Clean? Rough?
3. Examine surface - Scratches? Dents? Clean?
4. Look for creases - Any bends across card?
5. Check back - Often worse than front
6. Hold to light - See indents/dents

Grading Tips

Use a loupe/magnifier:

• 10x magnification shows hidden wear
• Catch issues before buying expensive cards

Grade conservatively when selling:

• Better to undergrade than overgrade
• Avoids disputes and bad reviews
• Builds trust with buyers

Grade optimistically when buying:

• Some "MP" is closer to LP
• Some "HP" is tournament-legal
• Negotiate with seller if overgraded

Lighting matters:

• Bright light shows all flaws
• Inspect in good lighting
• Don't grade in dim conditions

Condition for Different Use Cases

For Collecting/Investing

→ Buy NM only

Why:

• Holds value best
• Easier to resell
• Appreciation over time
• No risk of condition loss

For Competitive Play

→ Buy NM or LP

Why:

• Tournament-legal without question
• Looks professional
• Resale value if meta changes
• Minor wear doesn't matter in sleeves

For Casual Commander

→ Buy LP or MP

Why:

• Save 30-50% on staples
• Double-sleeved = wear invisible
• Not reselling anyway
• Functional > pretty

For Budget Brewing

→ Buy MP or HP

Why:

• Save 50-65% on playables
• Test deck before investing
• Upgrade later if deck is good
• Short-term placeholder

For Proxying

→ Buy DMG if real card

Why:

• Cheapest way to own real copy
• Print high-quality proxy for gameplay
• Real card for collection/verification
• Save 70-90% on originals

Protecting Card Condition

Storage Best Practices

Single sleeve:

• Basic protection
• For bulk commons/uncommons
• Penny sleeves fine

Double sleeve:

• Inner perfect-fit + outer sleeve
• For $10+ cards
• Prevents edge wear, moisture

Triple sleeve:

• Perfect-fit + regular + toploader
• For $100+ cards
• Maximum protection

Binders:

• Side-loading (cards don't fall out)
• Avoid ring binders (damage from rings)
• Store horizontally (no pressure)

Boxes:

• BCW boxes with silica packets
• Store in cool, dry place
• Avoid attics/basements (temperature swings)

Handling Best Practices

Do:

• \u2705 Hold by edges
• \u2705 Use clean hands
• \u2705 Shuffle carefully
• \u2705 Use playmats
• \u2705 Transport in deckboxes

Don't:

• \u274c Eat/drink near cards
• \u274c Bend/shuffle aggressively
• \u274c Leave in car (temperature)
• \u274c Touch surface with fingers
• \u274c Store unsleeved

Common Condition Mistakes

Mistake 1: Calling LP "NM"

Problem: LP is not NM. Any edge wear = LP.

Fix: Be honest about condition. Minor wear is LP.

Mistake 2: Buying "NM" sight unseen

Problem: Sellers overgrade to get higher price.

Fix: Ask for detailed photos. Use TCGplayer/eBay (buyer protection).

Mistake 3: Not checking backs

Problem: Back often worse than front.

Fix: Always inspect both sides before grading.

Mistake 4: Ignoring minor creases

Problem: Crease = HP or DMG, not MP.

Fix: Any crease across card drops it 2+ grades.

Mistake 5: Over-paying for condition

Problem: Buying NM for casual Commander is waste.

Fix: Match condition to use case. Save money on MP.

Using Our Scanner for Condition Context

Our card scanner shows TCGplayer market prices (NM condition by default).

When you scan:

1. Scanner shows NM price
2. Inspect physical card condition
3. Adjust mentally:
   • LP = 80% of shown price
   • MP = 60% of shown price
   • HP = 40% of shown price
   • DMG = 25% of shown price

At card shows:

• Scan card for NM price
• Grade physical copy
• Negotiate based on condition
• Don't overpay for LP as NM

Buying Conditions on TCGplayer

When you click "Buy on TCGplayer" from our site:

1. Select condition on TCGplayer product page
2. Compare prices across conditions
3. Read seller ratings (avoid bad graders)
4. Check photos if available
5. Use TCGplayer Direct for consistent grading

TCGplayer Direct benefits:

• Consistent grading standards
• Better buyer protection
• Faster shipping
• Worth slight premium

Negotiating Condition at Card Shows

At dealer tables:

1. Scan card with our tool (get NM price)
2. Inspect condition carefully
3. Point out flaws respectfully
4. Offer fair price:
   • LP: Ask for 20% off
   • MP: Ask for 40% off
   • HP: Ask for 60% off

Example negotiation:

Scanner shows $20 market (NM). Card is MP (scratches, edge wear).

You: "Card looks MP to me. Would you take $12?" (40% off) Dealer: "I can do $14." (30% off) You: "Meet in the middle at $13?" (35% off) Deal!

When Condition Doesn't Matter

Functional gameplay:

• If double-sleeved, MP = NM visually
• Commander is casual (no one cares)
• Testing deck before investing
• Resale not a concern

Budget constraints:

• $40 NM vs. $24 MP? MP wins.
• HP copy vs. no copy? HP wins.
• Save money, play cards.

When Condition REALLY Matters

High-value collectibles:

• Reserved List cards ($100+)
• Power 9 (always get graded)
• Alpha/Beta (condition is huge)
• Investment purchases

Tournament play:

• Modern/Legacy (matches matter)
• Professional events
• Cards visible to opponents
• Representing sponsors

Resale consideration:

• Cards you may sell later
• Meta-dependent cards
• Flip purchases (buy low, sell high)

Future Condition Concerns

Cards degrade over time:

• Shuffling causes edge wear
• Temperature causes warping
• Humidity causes water damage
• Light causes fading

Protect investments:

• Store properly
• Double-sleeve
• Minimize handling
• Control environment

Upgrade over time:

• Start with MP for play
• Upgrade to NM for keeps
• Build binder slowly
• Enjoy the process

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Smart buying means matching condition to use case. Use our scanner to check prices, then inspect condition to negotiate fair deals.