Pre-grade self-check

Is this card worth grading?

Use this guide to inspect what is actually on the card, then decide whether professional grading serves your collection. This self-check does not predict or estimate a grade. Only an in-hand assessment against the full MAG standard determines the official result.

Before you look

Wash and dry your hands, use bright indirect light, and place the card on a clean, lint-free surface. Remove it from sleeves only if you can do so safely, holding it gently by the edges.

Inspect the front and back straight on, then tilt the card slowly. A phone torch at a low angle can help reveal surface texture, but a photo alone cannot show every defect.

Walk the four condition areas

Write down what you see in neutral terms. A visible flaw does not automatically make grading pointless, and a clean-looking card is not a guaranteed result.

Centering

Are the borders balanced around the artwork?

  • Compare the left and right borders, then the top and bottom.
  • Check both front and back; one side may be less balanced than the other.
  • Look for a tilted image or diamond cut, not only a simple side-to-side shift.

Corners

Are all four tips sharp and intact?

  • Inspect each corner from the front and back under bright, indirect light.
  • Look for whitening, fuzzing, blunting, bends, or a tip beginning to split.
  • Change the viewing angle; small impacts can disappear when viewed straight on.

Edges

Are the cut edges clean all the way around?

  • Scan each edge slowly against a dark, plain background.
  • Look for white flecks, chips, nicks, dents, rough cuts, or peeling foil.
  • Check the back carefully, where edge wear often shows more clearly.

Surface

Is the face free from marks and damage?

  • Tilt the card under a single light source to reveal scratches, scuffs, dents, and print lines.
  • Check for stains, fingerprints, gloss loss, ink defects, and indentations on both sides.
  • Do not press or clean aggressively; creases and altered surfaces matter more than dust.

When grading may be worth it

Condition is only one part of the decision. Consider the card’s value, rarity, purpose, and replacement difficulty together.

The card is scarce or difficult to replace

True rarity, a low print run, age, or strong collector demand can make authentication and long-term protection useful even when condition is imperfect.

Certification could add useful confidence

A permanent, verifiable certificate can make the card easier to document, insure, display, or eventually sell with clear condition provenance.

The numbers make sense for this card

Compare the grading fee and shipping with recent sold prices for the same card in raw and professionally graded condition. Use sold listings, not asking prices.

It matters to you beyond resale

A favourite pull, gift, childhood card, or collection centrepiece may be worth protecting even when grading is not the cheapest financial choice.

A useful final question

If the card returns with a professional assessment different from what you hoped for, would authentication, protection, documentation, or personal meaning still make the fee worthwhile? If yes, grading may still fit your goal. If no, keeping it raw may be the better choice.

Ready for an in-hand assessment?

Submit when the purpose and cost make sense for you. Review the full standards first if you want to understand our methodology.

Start SubmissionRead full standards →