Grade 10 vs 9: the small flaws that cost you a point

• 10 Gem Mint: the card is perfect on all four criteria, even under a loupe.
• 9.5 Mint+: one or two micro-flaws, visible only under a loupe or in raking light.
• 9 Mint: a few micro-flaws, or slightly off centering. The card still looks superb to the naked eye.

A 10 is very demanding: the average must be at least 9.875 and no subgrade can be below 9.5. In practice, four 10s, or three 10s and one 9.5. A single criterion at 9 is enough to lose the 10.

Centering compares the left-right and top-bottom borders, front and back. It is often what costs the 10, and it comes from the factory: cards are not always cut straight.

• 10: front 55/45 or better, back 60/40 or better.
• 9.5: front 60/40, back 65/35.
• 9: front 65/35, back 70/30.

A concrete example on the front: if the two borders add up to 5 mm, a 0.5 mm difference between left and right is still a 10, 1 mm gives a 9.5 and 1.5 mm gives a 9. Nothing can fix it afterwards, but if you own several copies you can pick the best-centered one.

We inspect all eight corners under a loupe on a dark background. Whitening (a tiny white dot on the tip) is the most common flaw.

• 10: all eight corners perfectly sharp, no white at all.
• 9.5: a single micro white dot, visible only under a loupe.
• 9: a few micro white dots, corners still sharp.

These dots often appear when pulling the card from the booster, sliding it into a sleeve or a toploader that is too tight, or shuffling cards without sleeves.

We turn the card under the lamp to see all four edges. A chip is white showing along the edge; on dark card backs it stands out immediately.

• 10: smooth, clean edges, no chipping, even under a loupe.
• 9.5: a single micro-chip, visible only under a loupe.
• 9: a few micro-chips under a loupe.

We tilt the card in raking light, front then back. Holographic and full art cards show everything.

• 10: flawless surface, full gloss, nothing even under a loupe.
• 9.5: one micro-scratch or a very fine print line, visible only in raking light.
• 9: a few micro-scratches or a small print line.

Print lines come from the factory. Micro-scratches, on the other hand, often come from a card left unsleeved or rubbed against another one.

The final grade starts from the average of the four subgrades, rounded to the nearest half point (down when it falls exactly between two grades). It can never be more than the lowest subgrade plus 1. A few real calculations (centering · corners · edges · surface):

• 10 · 10 · 10 · 9.5: average 9.875, final grade 10 Gem Mint.
• 10 · 10 · 10 · 9: average 9.75, but one subgrade is below 9.5, so 9.5 Mint+. A single 9 is enough to lose the 10.
• 10 · 10 · 9.5 · 9.5: average 9.75, exactly between two grades, rounded down: 9.5 Mint+.
• 9.5 · 9.5 · 9 · 9: average 9.25, rounded down: 9 Mint.
• 10 · 10 · 10 · 8 (one corner whitening visible to the naked eye): average 9.5, but capped at 8 + 1: 9 Mint.

Remember: a 10 needs everything to be perfect. One flaw visible to the naked eye and the card can no longer go above 9.

• Sleeve the card as soon as it leaves the booster, holding it by the edges, with clean, dry hands.
• Slide it into the toploader without forcing, in a sleeve of the right size: this is where corners get whitened.
• Never put a bare card on a table and don't rub it to clean it: you risk micro-scratches.
• Store your cards somewhere dry: in a tropical climate, humidity can warp the card and mark the surface.
• If you own several copies, compare the centering and send the best one.

Before shipping, look at the card under a lamp, on a dark background, with your phone's zoom: you will already spot most of these flaws. Our rule stays the same: when in doubt, we give the lower grade, and we never promise a grade before the inspection.