Condition

Condition: After the player and the set, condition is the most telling factor in determining price and desirability of a card. Corners, edges, surface, gloss, grain, color registration centering, depth of color and focus are the basic qualities to look for. With increased technology poured into card making, there are new facets that must be looked at including print-lines, gold foil registration (location), scratches in metallic surfaces, and the condition of the hologram on Upper Deck cards. I will eventually get around to putting up a pictorial guide to condition, but for now, just look for the sharpest edges, the squarest corners, no creases or scratches, and well-focused pictures. You'll do okay. Or, if you're just too stupid to trust your own judgment, take a look at slabbed cards.