FAQs & Card Condition Guide
At RarePokémonCards.shop, transparency is not a selling point — it is the operational standard we hold ourselves to on every single listing. Before any card appears in our inventory, a member of our vault team physically inspects it, photographs it under controlled directional lighting against our archival reference standard, and assigns it a condition grade using the strict criteria documented on this page. When you buy rare Pokémon cards online from us, you are not relying on vague descriptions or stock photography. You are buying with the full picture.
This page covers everything you need to know: how to order, how we ship, what our condition grades mean in objective physical terms, and how we verify every graded slab before it enters our vault. If your question is not answered here, contact us directly at support@rarepokemoncards.shop and our team will respond within one business day.
How to use this page
Jump to any section using the contents below. The Condition Standards Guide is essential reading for all raw single purchases — our pre-shipment photography is assessed against these exact criteria and forms the basis of any condition dispute resolution.
Page Contents
Part 1 — General Ordering & Shipping FAQs
Part 2 — Raw Card Condition Standards Guide
Part 3 — Graded Slab Standards & Vault Verification
Part 4 — Additional FAQs
Part 1 — General Ordering & Shipping FAQs
▸ Are all your cards authentic?
Yes — without exception. Every card listed on rarepokemoncards.shop has passed our multi-point vault authentication process before the listing is written. This is not a cursory visual check. Our authentication protocol examines each of the following criteria under magnification and controlled lighting:
| Inspection Point | What We Check |
|---|---|
| Print rosette pattern | Authentic cards display a precise CMYK dot matrix rosette pattern visible under 10x magnification. Counterfeits consistently fail this check. |
| Card stock thickness & rigidity | Genuine Pokémon TCG card stock has a specific flex resistance and thickness profile. We measure and feel-test every raw card for deviations. |
| Ink layering & surface texture | The print depth, ink saturation, and surface texture of authentic cards follow a consistent standard by era and set. Flat or smeared ink is an immediate red flag. |
| Light transmission test | When held to a direct light source, authentic cards show a specific internal layering pattern. This test reliably detects reprints and altered cards. |
| Edge & corner integrity check | We examine edges under magnification to identify artificially sharpened corners or edge restoration — a common technique used to misrepresent played cards as near mint. |
✅ Any card that fails any single point of this inspection is permanently removed from our inventory. It will never be listed.
▸ How long does shipping take?
All orders are processed and dispatched within 1–2 business days of confirmed payment. Orders placed after our daily 12:00 PM cut-off time, or on weekends and public holidays, enter the fulfilment queue on the next available business day.
| Shipping Service | Region | Est. Transit Time | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Insured | Domestic (USA) | 3–5 business days | ✅ Included |
| Expedited Express | Domestic (USA) | 1–2 business days | ✅ Included |
| International Standard | Worldwide | 7–14 business days | ✅ Included |
| International Express | Worldwide | 3–5 business days | ✅ Included |
Every shipment includes a carrier tracking number, emailed to you automatically at the point of dispatch. Full transit details, packing standards, and carrier liability terms are documented in our Shipping Policy at rarepokemoncards.shop/shipping-policy.
▸ Can I cancel or change my order after it has been placed?
Order cancellation and modification requests are accepted within a strict 2-hour window from the time your order confirmation email is received. After this window, your order enters our active fulfilment queue and vault packing process begins — at which point cancellation is no longer possible.
| Request Type | Deadline | How to Submit |
|---|---|---|
| Order cancellation | Within 2 hours of order confirmation | Email support@rarepokemoncards.shop with your order number and subject line: CANCEL REQUEST |
| Shipping address change | Within 2 hours of order confirmation | Email support@rarepokemoncards.shop with your order number and corrected address |
| Item substitution or addition | Not possible after checkout | Place a new separate order for additional items |
⚠️ Once dispatched, cancellation is not available
Orders that have been assigned a carrier tracking number cannot be cancelled, intercepted, or redirected. If you no longer want the item after dispatch, you may initiate a return in accordance with our Refund & Return Policy once the package has been delivered.
Part 2 — Raw Card Condition Standards Guide
The following condition grades are applied by our vault team to all unencapsulated raw singles using objective, physical criteria assessed under 10x magnification and controlled directional lighting. These are not approximations or estimates — they are documented standards against which our pre-shipment photography is taken and against which all return condition disputes are assessed.
Important note on subjectivity
Card grading involves a degree of professional judgment. Two experienced graders may occasionally assign adjacent grades to the same card. Our vault team documents the specific physical attributes that determined a card’s grade in our internal inspection record, which is available upon request for any listing. If you have a question about a specific card’s condition before purchasing, email us and we will provide additional photography or a written assessment.
🟢 Near Mint to Mint (NM-M)
The highest raw card condition grade. Suitable for submission to PSA, BGS, or CGC with realistic expectations of a high numeric grade.
Investment-grade raw | Submission-ready | Top-tier collectible
| Card Zone | NM-M Criteria |
|---|---|
| Front surface | Flawless or near-flawless. No visible scratching, print lines, scuffs, or fingerprint oils under direct light or 10x magnification. Holo patterns on holographic cards reflect sharply and cleanly with no cloudiness or swirling. |
| Back surface | Clean and unmarked. Minor print imperfections originating from the factory (factory lines) are permissible and do not affect this grade, as they are present at manufacture and not attributable to handling. |
| Corners | All four corners are sharp and well-defined. Under 10x magnification, a NM-M card may show the very slightest fraying on one corner only — no whitening, no visible chipping, no flattening of the corner tip. |
| Edges | All four edges are clean, smooth, and show negligible to zero silvering or whitening. Edge lines are crisp and unbroken with no chipping or roughness detectable under magnification. |
| Centering | Front-to-back and left-to-right centering falls within approximately 55/45 tolerance or better. Cards with severe miscuts or print misalignment are noted separately regardless of surface condition. |
| Structural integrity | Card lies flat with no bowing, creasing, warping, or indentation of any kind. No water damage, no sticker residue, no ink transfer from sleeves. |
🟡 Lightly Played (LP)
A card that shows minor but visible signs of handling or age. Remains highly collectible and presentable in a sleeved binder or display collection.
Collectible grade | Display-ready | Not recommended for grading submission
| Card Zone | LP Criteria |
|---|---|
| Front surface | Light surface scratching may be visible under direct raking light. One or two very fine scuff marks or minor print surface wear may be present. Holographic patterns on holo cards remain largely intact but may show minor cloudiness or slight dulling in one area of the holo zone. |
| Back surface | May show light scratching or minor surface abrasion consistent with light sleeve or binder play. No deep gouging or ink transfer. |
| Corners | One to two corners may show minor but visible whitening, very slight fraying, or a small chip detectable without magnification. No corner is bent, folded, or creased. The overall corner profile remains reasonably sharp when viewed at arm’s length. |
| Edges | Minor silvering or light whitening is present on one or more edges, consistent with normal deck or binder handling. Edge lines remain largely intact with no significant chipping or deep roughness. |
| Centering | Centering assessed and noted in listing. LP grade is not affected by centering alone — centering deviations are always documented as a separate attribute alongside the condition grade. |
| Structural integrity | Card lies flat with no bowing or creasing. Minor surface indentations are possible but no hard creases, fold lines, or water damage are present or acceptable at this grade. |
🟠 Moderately Played (MP)
A card with clearly visible wear across multiple zones. Ideal for binder collections, casual play, or completing a set on a budget.
Budget collectible grade | Binder-suitable | Not suitable for grading submission
| Card Zone | MP Criteria |
|---|---|
| Front surface | Visible scratching across the surface detectable under normal room lighting without magnification. Holographic cards may show notable holo scratching, cloudiness, or dulling across a significant portion of the holo zone. Minor scuff clusters may be present. |
| Back surface | Moderate surface wear and scratching visible without magnification. May show light ink transfer or minor abrasion consistent with extended play or loose storage. |
| Corners | Two or more corners show clearly visible whitening, chipping, or light fraying detectable at arm’s length without magnification. Corner tips may be rounded or softened by wear. No hard folds or complete corner separation. |
| Edges | Visible edge whitening, silvering, or roughness across multiple edges. Edge lines may show breaks, small chips, or areas of moderate wear. Still structurally intact with no torn or deeply damaged edge sections. |
| Centering | Centering documented in listing. As with LP, centering is recorded as a separate attribute and does not independently determine the MP grade. |
| Structural integrity | Card must still lie reasonably flat. A card assigned MP grade may show a very minor surface bend or slight warp but must not have any hard crease lines, fold marks, or water staining. Cards with creases, tears, or water damage are graded separately as Heavily Played (HP) and priced accordingly. |
Condition Grade Quick-Reference Summary
| Grade | Surface | Corners | Edges | Grading Submission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NM-M | Flawless to near-flawless | Sharp, negligible fraying at most | Clean, zero to negligible silvering | ✅ Recommended |
| LP | Minor scratching under direct light | 1–2 corners with minor whitening | Minor silvering on 1+ edges | ⚠️ Not recommended |
| MP | Visible wear under room lighting | 2+ corners with visible whitening | Visible whitening on multiple edges | ❌ Not suitable |
Part 3 — Graded Slab Standards & Vault Verification
Every professionally graded slab listed in our store inventory undergoes a mandatory verification and physical inspection process before it is offered for sale. We do not list graded slabs based on photographs alone or accept slabs into inventory without verifying their authenticity through official grading company databases.
Grading Houses We Stock
| Grading Company | Full Name | Verification Database | Numeric Grade Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | Professional Sports Authenticator | psacard.com/cert | 1 (Poor) — 10 (Gem Mint) |
| BGS | Beckett Grading Services | beckett.com/grading/verify | 1 (Poor) — 10 (Pristine Black Label) |
| CGC | Certified Guaranty Company | cgccomics.com/certlookup | 1 (Poor) — 10 (Pristine) |
Our Graded Slab Verification Process
Every graded slab that enters our vault is processed through the following five-step verification and inspection sequence before it is assigned a listing:
Step 1 — Certification Number Database Lookup
The certification number printed on the interior label of each slab is entered into the grading company’s official online verification database. We confirm that the cert number returns an active, valid record that matches the card name, set, variant, and numeric grade displayed on the physical slab label. Any cert number that does not return a matching active record is quarantined and rejected from inventory permanently.
Step 2 — Label-to-Database Cross-Reference
We cross-reference the following attributes between the physical slab label and the database record to confirm they are identical with zero discrepancy: – Card name and set – Card number and variant (e.g., 1st Edition, Shadowless, Reverse Holo) – Assigned numeric grade and any sub-grade (BGS) – Grading company logo, label colour, and label format consistent with the known production era
Step 3 — Slab Physical Integrity Inspection
The physical slab casing is examined for the following: | Inspection Point | What We Check | |—|—| | Tamper-evident seals | Holographic seals must be fully intact, unpeeled, and show no signs of heat, moisture, or mechanical interference | | Case integrity | The plastic casing must be free from cracks, hazing, scratching, discolouration, or structural alteration that was not present at point of grading | | Internal card position | The card inside the slab must sit in its correct position without unusual movement, tilting, or displacement from its original placement | | Label adhesion | The interior grade label must be fully adhered, flat, and undisturbed with no bubbling, peeling, or moisture damage |
Step 4 — Photography Under Controlled Lighting
Each verified slab is photographed under studio lighting that captures the front face, back face, all four sides, and a close-up of the grade label. These images form our archival record and are used in the product listing.
Step 5 — Listing Creation & Inventory Assignment
Only after all four preceding steps have been completed and signed off by a vault team member is a slab listing created and made live in our store inventory.
✅ Every graded slab in our store has a verified, active certification record in the relevant grading company’s official database. The cert number is included in every listing so you can independently verify it yourself before purchasing.
Important Notes on Graded Slabs
⚠️ Do not crack or tamper with a slab purchased from our store
Opening, cracking, or in any way tampering with the slab casing of a graded card immediately and permanently voids its grade, its resale value at that grade, and your eligibility for a return under our Refund & Return Policy. If you wish to have a card re-graded at a higher tier, it must be submitted to the grading company by you directly in its original sealed condition.
RarePokémonCards.shop is not responsible for any grading outcome on a card purchased from us and subsequently submitted by the buyer for independent grading. Grading outcomes are at the sole discretion of the grading company.
Part 4 — Additional FAQs
▸ Do you offer bulk or collector’s lot discounts?
Yes. For orders containing five or more items, or for collectors interested in purchasing a curated lot, please contact our vault team directly at support@rarepokemoncards.shop before placing your order. We assess bulk pricing requests on a case-by-case basis and can often accommodate serious collectors with volume arrangements not available through the standard checkout.
▸ Can I request additional photographs of a card before purchasing?
Absolutely. For any listed card — raw or graded — you may request supplementary photography including raking light shots to reveal surface texture, macro corner shots, or side-on edge photography. Email support@rarepokemoncards.shop with the listing reference and your specific request. We will respond within one business day. High-value decisions deserve full visibility, and we encourage all collectors to ask before committing.
▸ Do you accept trade-ins or consignment submissions?
We selectively accept trade-in and consignment enquiries from established collectors. All submissions are subject to our vault authentication process and condition assessment before any valuation is offered. To enquire, contact us at support@rarepokemoncards.shop with a description and photographs of the cards you are looking to trade or consign. We do not offer valuations without physical inspection of the item.
▸ What happens if the card I receive does not match its listed condition?
In the rare event that a card arrives in a condition materially different from its listing description and pre-shipment photography, please contact us at support@rarepokemoncards.shop within 48 hours of delivery with your order number and supporting photographs. We will review your report against our archival photography record and, where a genuine discrepancy is confirmed, initiate a resolution under our Refund & Return Policy.
Full return and resolution terms are documented at rarepokemoncards.shop/refund-return-policy.
FAQs & Card Condition Guide — RarePokémonCards.shop
Last updated: June 2025
For all condition and ordering enquiries: sales@rarepokemoncards.shop
Full guide always available at: rarepokemoncards.shop/faq