GRADING

One system for everything in the shop. What each grade means depends on what you're looking at, so pick the thing and read across.

GRADING RULES

If a thing sits between two grades, it takes the lower one.
Every flaw goes in the photographs and in the description. Both, every time, in case you miss one.
Nothing is graded from memory or from a stock photo. It's graded from the thing on the table.
The grade is part of what you're buying. If it's wrong, send it back.
A grade is about condition and nothing else. Nothing here carries a legal age rating of 12 or above, because selling those by post needs checks this shop cannot make.
This page is part of every sale. A grade here, and the flaws photographed on an item, are what that item is described as being, and that description is part of what you buy.

NEAR MINT

Unread, or read so carefully you cannot tell. Square, tight, unmarked.The book trade calls this Fine.

EXCELLENT

Read once. One fault at most, and it is named.The trade calls this Near Fine.

VERY GOOD

Shelf wear and handling. Sound, complete, clean inside.

GOOD

Well read. Faults you would notice at arm's length.

FAIR

Tired but complete. Bought to be read, not shelved.

POOR

Broken, marked or missing something. Priced as such.

NEAR MINT

Flat spine, sharp corners, the gloss still on it.Comic collectors say Near Mint.

EXCELLENT

Read once, carefully. A tick or two on the spine.Comic collectors say Very Fine.

VERY GOOD

Spine wear and light creasing. Nothing structural.Somewhere between Fine and Very Good.

GOOD

Creasing, spine roll, tanning. Complete and holding together.

FAIR

Tears, tape or a loose staple. All of it photographed.

POOR

A reading copy, or a filler for a run.

NEAR MINT

Pack fresh. Clean edges, unmarked surface.Near Mint on the card system.

EXCELLENT

A little edge wear, or one mark on the surface.Lightly Played.

VERY GOOD

Whitening, light scratching, or a soft corner.Moderately Played.

GOOD

Obvious wear. Creasing or a bend you can see across the room.Heavily Played.

FAIR

Water, ink, tears or a hard crease.Damaged.

POOR

Damaged enough to be sold as filler, and priced like it.Damaged.

Games have no agreed condition system, so there is nothing to translate. The grade covers the state of the box and the media. What's actually in the box is a separate matter, below.

NEAR MINT

Unmarked. Box square, media clean.

EXCELLENT

Light handling. Box corners just softening.

VERY GOOD

Shelf wear to the box, media clean.

GOOD

Scuffed box, marked media. Everything still works.

FAIR

Heavy wear, a split box, or media that skips.

POOR

Does not run, or it has been got at.

COMPLETENESS IS SEPARATE

A grade is about condition, not contents. Completeness is stated on its own: sealed, complete, or incomplete with the missing parts named. A cartridge in beautiful shape with no box is Near Mint and incomplete, and the listing says both.

Six grades, one system, whatever the thing is. Anything in italics is a translation for people who already grade in another language. It isn't the grade.