Grading
Universal Grading Principles
RGB condition grades describe cosmetic presentation. Assembly/type describes what physical components are included with the SKU.
- Grades evaluate overall appearance under normal viewing.
- The most significant cosmetic defect can limit the final grade.
- Multiple minor defects may collectively reduce a grade.
- Maximum grade limitations establish ceilings, not guaranteed grades.
- Known restoration, replacement parts, or item-specific exceptions should be disclosed in listing notes.
- Photos and listing notes remain the final reference for exact item details.
Universal Condition Scale
| Icon | Score | Condition | Code | Mult | Universal Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💎 | 10.0 | Gem | G10 | 1.65 | Top cosmetic presentation. No meaningful visible cosmetic defects under normal viewing. |
| ⭐ | 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | 1.50 | Collector-grade presentation with very minimal visible wear. Near top-tier cosmetic presentation. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | 1.35 | High-grade presentation with minimal visible wear. Only small cosmetic imperfections should be expected. | |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | 1.20 | Clean presentation with light visible wear. Minor handling evidence may be present. | |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | 1.00 | Standard used cosmetic condition with normal visible wear. No single cosmetic flaw dominates presentation. | |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | 0.80 | Noticeable cosmetic wear beyond typical handling. Structurally presentable with clear signs of use. | |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | 0.65 | Heavy visible wear with one or more major cosmetic flaws. | |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | 0.50 | Significant visible wear, degradation, or accumulated cosmetic damage. Presentation is dominated by cosmetic damage. |
Assembly Definitions
| Item Type | Included Components | Assembly Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loose | Game media | Loose includes game media only. Original box, manual, inserts, and other packaging are not included unless explicitly noted. |
| CIB | Game media, box/case, manual | Complete in box includes game media, original box or case, and manual. Inserts, maps, trays, or other extras are included only when specifically noted or photographed. |
| Box Only | Box/case | Box Only includes the original box, case, or outer packaging only. Game media and manual are not included unless explicitly noted. |
| Manual Only | Manual | Manual Only includes the instruction booklet or manual only. Game media and box are not included unless explicitly noted. |
| Game and Box | Game media, box/case | Game and Box includes game media and original box or case. Manual and other paper inserts are not included unless explicitly noted. |
| Game and Manual | Game media, manual | Game and Manual includes game media and manual. Original box or case is not included unless explicitly noted. |
| Box and Manual | Box/case, manual | Box and Manual includes the original box or case and manual. Game media is not included unless explicitly noted. |
Generated SKU Description Structure
- Listing title
- Item type
- Condition label and code
- Universal condition description
- Assembly description
- Component condition details for each included component
- Photo and listing-note review line
Cartridge Component Scale
| Score | Condition | Code | Cartridge Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem | G10 | Cartridge should show no meaningful visible scratches, fading, yellowing, writing, chips, cracks, or label wear under normal viewing. |
| 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | Cartridge should present near top-grade with very minimal visible handling evidence. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | Cartridge may show one or two trivial handling marks only. Label, shell, and visible surfaces should present cleanly. |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | Cartridge may show fine scratches, faint scuffs, slight label edge wear, or light handling marks. |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | Cartridge may show moderate scratches, light fading, minor yellowing, residue, label edge wear, or other normal handling wear. |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | Cartridge may show noticeable scratches, fading, discoloration, label wear, sticker residue, writing, or other visible cosmetic wear. |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | Cartridge may show heavy cosmetic wear such as major label damage, heavy writing, cracks, chips, major yellowing, discoloration, or heavy residue. |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | Cartridge may show severe cosmetic damage, missing label material, major shell damage, heavy cracks, heavy writing, heavy residue, or prior repair evidence. |
Cartridge Maximum Grade Limitations
| Cosmetic Defect | Maximum Grade |
|---|---|
| Minor writing | Lightly Played / LP8 |
| Moderate writing | Played / P07 |
| Heavy writing | Worn / W06 |
| Moderate yellowing | Played / P07 |
| Heavy yellowing | Worn / W06 |
| Sticker obscures label | Played / P07 |
| Major shell damage | Rough / R05 |
| Missing label | Distressed / D04 |
Disc Component Scale
| Score | Condition | Code | Disc Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem | G10 | Disc should show no meaningful visible surface or label-side marks under normal viewing. |
| 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | Disc should present near top-grade with very minimal visible surface or label-side wear. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | Disc may show one or two faint hairline scratches or trivial handling marks. |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | Disc may show light surface scratching, faint scuffs, or minor handling marks. |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | Disc may show moderate surface scratching consistent with normal use. |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | Disc may show numerous scratches, deeper marks, label-side wear, or visible handling wear. |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | Disc may show heavy scratching, clear resurfacing evidence, label-side wear, or other major cosmetic defects. |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | Disc may show severe cosmetic damage, hub cracks, heavy label-side damage, deep surface damage, or extensive wear. |
Disc Maximum Grade Limitations
| Cosmetic Defect | Maximum Grade |
|---|---|
| Label-side damage | Worn / W06 |
| Heavy resurfacing evidence | Rough / R05 |
| Center hub crack | Distressed / D04 |
| Deep surface damage | Distressed / D04 |
Box / Case Component Scale
| Score | Condition | Code | Box / Case Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem | G10 | Box or case should show sharp presentation with no meaningful visible creases, crushing, fading, dents, or shelf wear under normal viewing. |
| 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | Box or case should present near top-grade with very minimal corner, surface, or shelf wear. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | Box or case may show one or two trivial corner, surface, or handling imperfections. |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | Box or case may show light shelf wear, one light crease, faint scuffs, minor corner wear, or light handling marks. |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | Box or case may show moderate edge wear, several light creases, shelf wear, light dents, sticker residue, or normal handling wear. |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | Box or case may show noticeable shelf wear, rounded corners, creasing, crushing, fading, dents, cracked plastic, residue, or structural wear. |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | Box or case may show heavy crushing, tears, punctures, deformation, major fading, tape, damaged tabs, cracked plastic, or other major cosmetic defects. |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | Box or case may show severe water damage, missing material, reconstruction, damaged hinges, major crushing, or severe cosmetic damage. |
Box / Case Maximum Grade Limitations
| Cosmetic Defect | Maximum Grade |
|---|---|
| Reinforcement tape only | Played / P07 |
| Tape holding structure together | Rough / R05 |
| Large tear | Worn / W06 |
| Water damage | Rough / R05 |
| Missing material | Distressed / D04 |
| Mold evidence | Distressed / D04 |
Manual Component Scale
| Score | Condition | Code | Manual Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem | G10 | Manual should show crisp presentation with no meaningful visible bends, writing, staple wear, page wear, or handling marks under normal viewing. |
| 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | Manual should present near top-grade with very minimal visible handling evidence. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | Manual may show tiny handling evidence only. Pages, cover, and staples should present cleanly. |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | Manual may show minor corner bends, light spine wear, faint page wear, or light handling marks. |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | Manual may show moderate folds, light writing, staple aging, page wear, or normal handling wear. |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | Manual may show heavy spine wear, yellowing, small tears, folds, writing, staple wear, or noticeable page wear. |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | Manual may show multiple tears, heavy writing, loose pages, detached pages, heavy staining, major folds, or substantial wear. |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | Manual may show missing pages, detached cover, severe water damage, heavy tearing, heavy writing, or major cosmetic damage. |
Manual Maximum Grade Limitations
| Cosmetic Defect | Maximum Grade |
|---|---|
| Minor writing | Lightly Played / LP8 |
| Moderate writing | Played / P07 |
| Heavy writing | Worn / W06 |
| Detached page | Rough / R05 |
| Detached cover | Distressed / D04 |
| Missing pages | Distressed / D04 |
System / Peripheral Component Scale
| Score | Condition | Code | System / Peripheral Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Gem | G10 | System or peripheral should show top cosmetic presentation with no meaningful visible wear under normal viewing. |
| 9.5 | Pristine | PS9 | System or peripheral should present near top-grade with very minimal visible handling evidence. |
| 9.0 | Exceptional | E09 | System or peripheral may show extremely light handling evidence only. Visible surfaces should present cleanly. |
| 8.0 | Lightly Played | LP8 | System or peripheral may show minor scratches, faint scuffs, or light handling marks. |
| 7.0 | Played | P07 | System or peripheral may show moderate scratches, light discoloration, residue, worn markings, or normal handling wear. |
| 6.0 | Worn | W06 | System or peripheral may show noticeable scratches, yellowing, discoloration, residue, fading, worn markings, or cosmetic flaws. |
| 5.0 | Rough | R05 | System or peripheral may show heavy wear, cracks, chips, repaired plastics, major yellowing, writing, residue, or other major cosmetic defects. |
| 4.0 | Distressed | D04 | System or peripheral may show missing cosmetic pieces, severe discoloration, major cracks, heavy residue, or major repair evidence. |
System / Peripheral Maximum Grade Limitations
| Cosmetic Defect | Maximum Grade |
|---|---|
| Moderate yellowing | Played / P07 |
| Heavy yellowing | Worn / W06 |
| Cracked plastics | Rough / R05 |
| Missing cosmetic pieces | Distressed / D04 |