The Scooped Condition Standard
“Near Mint” means something specific at Scooped. Here is exactly what we check before any card gets a condition call.
The surface
Every card is held under direct light at 45°. Print lines, scratches, and haze only appear this way. A card that looks clean in ambient light often tells a different story under a single directional source. If the surface is clean under raking light, it is clean.
Centering
We measure the border ratio on every card. A 55/45 ratio is acceptable for a binder copy. Below 60/40 is a red flag for grading and is noted explicitly in the listing. We never describe a 70/30 card as Near Mint without a centering disclosure.
Corners and edges
We run a finger along all four edges. Any raised fibres, nicks, or whitening drops the card from NM immediately. Corners should be sharp and intact — not rounded, not soft, not fraying.
What we do not say
We do not say “Near Mint” and leave it at that. Every Scooped listing includes specific condition notes — what we found, what it means for the grade, and whether the card is a grading candidate.
If something is wrong
If you ever receive a card that does not match its listed condition, contact scoopedtcg@gmail.com within 14 days. We will make it right.
How the standard maps to our tiers
- Choc Mint — passes all three checks plus either a third-party grade (PSA / BGS / CGC / SGC / TAG / ARS) or independent provenance verification.
- Strawberry — passes all three checks. Specific condition notes accompany every listing.
- Vanilla — assessed but listed honestly with any deviations called out. Sold in curated lots for set builders.
— The Scooped team