Almost no damage or wear. If a corner has a bit of wear or if this is a very small crease then I consider it good enough for "mint". I would never list a game like that as mint though. I just describe damages and use enough pictures.
Mint to me is a term that means cosmetically flawless. If there is a single tiny flaw anywhere on the item, it automatically loses a mint rating, and is considered near mint. I have probably used the term "mint" less than 7 times out of hundreds of sales, its pretty rare to find actual "mint" cartridges anymore unless they were collector owned for an extended period of time. IMO "mint" can be interchanged with "like new", the item has to look like it did the day it was opened, fresh out of the package. And even still, there's a good percent of things that aren't even mint right out of the package new, due to factory flaws that were too subtle to be pulled by quality control. I grade my stuff like this:
Mint
Near mint
Good
Fair/acceptable
Poor
I usually downgrade my stuff 1 tier down just so I don't have any issues with buyers that are just as picky as I am, I'd much rather someone be happy that something arrived in a better condition than they thought it was in as oppose to them being pissed that it wasn't up to my claimed condition. Like if I'm selling something that's legit "near mint", I'll purposely downgrade it to "good" if there's no real difference in value.
When buying though, I really don't trust anyone's opinion of condition. If I can't hold the item and see it in real life, I do my best to judge by the pictures and not by what the seller listed it as. This way I'm not disappointed when I receive it. The terms mint and like new are essentially meaningless on ebay at this point, it almost seems like a lot of people think their items won't sell if they tell the truth. And yes, sometimes condition is a difference of opinion, but I see way too many scuffed up, marked up, chipped, ripped, torn, creased, and markered things listed as very good or like new. It's sometimes comical. Personally, if im looking for a copy of something and I'm looking for it in mint condition, I dont mind paying double market value as long as its truly mint.
I actually expect some tiny wear on mint, stuff you'd have to examine very closely to see. I equate Gem Mint to flawless, not mint. Also, if you expect mint to equal flawless, you will be disappointed almost every single time. Id rather expect tiny wear and be satisfied then expect flawless and be disappointed over and over.
Thats just a function of experience, and knowing how other people operate. To me mint means perfect, and that's why I'm pretty sure I've never used the term with anything I've sold. You are right though, you are better off expecting some flaws knowing how the majority of people seem to use the term.
I go by collector Mint. Take cards for example, Gem Mint is PSA 10, Mint is PSA 9. On VGA Gem Mint is 100 and Mint is 95+ and 95. What some people are describing as Mint is what I would consider Gem Mint. Mint is not necessarily the top of the scale, but a lot of people do seem to put it there.
Don't let that word get out! Next thing you know every listing will say Gem Mint and there will have to be another tier made up.
Listing: Got a sealed copy of SunsetRiders here.....diamond mint!
If I were interested in mint collecting, I would adapt the first grading scale I encountered, which I read many times in the days of huge print catalogs. As others have mentioned, extreme attention to detail is needed. Complete magnifying glass coverage. "Minty" and "Minty fresh" are instant turnoffs. [ full version here http://www.milehighcomics.com/information/grade.html ]
Comic Book Grading Standards
by Chuck Rozanski
MINT
We do not offer to sell comics in "Mint" condition. Many of the comics we sell as "Near Mint/Mint" would qualify as "Mint," but we will not try to separate them as a category. Why? Because "Mint" is a standard that is too difficult to define. All comics have some flaws. They are produced in factories, by indifferent workers, in huge production runs. The odds of a "perfect mint" comic getting through that process are infinitesimally small. From our perspective, that makes trying to identify them and market them an impossible task. Collectors of "Mint" comics all have their own personal standards of what defines "Mint" and what reduces a comic to "Near Mint." An almost unnoticeable flaw will pass the standards of some "Mint" collectors and not others. It's just not commercially viable for us to try and second-guess people who go over their comics with a magnifying glass. So we do not even try to sell comics to that audience. If you desire "Mint" comics only, we strongly encourage you to seek out another source for your back issue needs.
NEAR MINT
All the comics we receive that are in exceptional condition fall into this category. For the most part, they are comics that are unread or were perhaps read once. This is a choice collectible and would meet the standard of the vast majority of collectors. Here are some other specifics:
Tears: Only a very minor (1/8th inch or less) tear might be acceptable.
Corner Bends: Only allowable if hardly noticeable.
Spine Stress Marks: Only allowable if very minor.
Staples: Must be nice and tight, including the centerfold.
Writing: Only small arrival dates are allowed.
Rubber Stamps: Not allowed in this grade.
Tape: No tape of any kind allowed in this grade.
Pieces Missing: In a rare instance, a very minor tip of a corner might have been nicked in the production process. But it must be very minor to qualify as Near Mint.
Fingerprints: When noticeable, they reduce a comic from Near Mint to Very Fine.
Waterstains: Not allowed in this grade.
Browning Paper: In either the interior or exterior, browning usually involves some measure of downgrading. But in a rare instance an otherwise sharp comic might have very light browning and still qualify as Near Mint. This is particularly important when grading old 12-cent comics which have had plenty of time to oxidize. We are pretty picky about browning, however, and only allow this grade when the browning almost undetectable.
Folds: No significant folds or fold lines are allowed in this grade. A very minor fold might pass if it was both very light and only in an outside corner.
Spine Rolling: Not allowed in this grade.
Off-Center Printing: Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
Cover Scuff Marks: Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
When grading for Near Mint, we look for any or all of the above flaws. If more than one of the above allowable flaws appears in the same comic, we almost automatically downgrade to Very Fine. It is our intent to screen comics in this grade to just the best we obtain.
VERY FINE
Very Fine is a category we have recently added to take into account the...
I think "New" is even more abused than mint. Anything short of sealed is not new. I can't count the number of times i've seen "brand new!" on regular cib or cart only games. -_-
I think "New" is even more abused than mint. Anything short of sealed is not new. I can't count the number of times i've seen "brand new!" on regular cib or cart only games. -_-
Don't even.
If EB Games can sell their unsealed, roughed up, sun faded games as "NEW", Why not the rest of the world
As a cartridge collector, this is my own personal standard for "mint" terms.
Gem Mint- Can't be any more perfect. No scratches, scuffs, chips, dents or dings anywhere. Labels are centered, no flaws in printing or cutting.
Mint- Same as above but the only "damage" allowed must come
from simple manufacturing imperfections or minor damage from general aging. This would include label lifting, slightly miscut labels, or not perfectly centered ones. I even accept very-minor discoloration "streaks" that I've seen on otherwise perfect carts.
Near-Mint- If there is any minor wear from use that is only visible fwith thorough, unassisted (i.e. using a magnifying glass) inspection, or if scuffs are so slight that you have to hold it at a perfect-angle to see it, then it passes as Near-Mint.
Exceptions: Since I'm a GB collector, I've noticed a sad truth in 100% of all cases for the hundreds of high quality carts I have. Along the back of every single game, there are to "bars" that are smooth, rather than rough. These bars slide across guide rails on the Game Boy. I've opened and inspected a few sealed games and all games, including the sealed ones, have very-minor but noticable scrapes on these bars. I can only assume that this abrasion is caused by factory QA testing units. Ergo, finding a cart without such damage is near impossible and no one could ever expect to complete a set without this damage. I choose to ignore this damage and consider it "part of the design" since I've handled potentially thousands of carts (I'm also counting ones in shops) and I've never seen a game without this damage.
My point is this- yes, we desire those hyper-perfect specimens but in some cases they don't exist. When that's the case, you have to accept the gem-mint as damaged-by-design. It's a bummer but the alternative is to say that for a specific classification, gem-mints don't exist, and I just don't like that. Gem-mint might be the top .01%, but it should exist, regardless.
Comments
Mint
Near mint
Good
Fair/acceptable
Poor
I usually downgrade my stuff 1 tier down just so I don't have any issues with buyers that are just as picky as I am, I'd much rather someone be happy that something arrived in a better condition than they thought it was in as oppose to them being pissed that it wasn't up to my claimed condition. Like if I'm selling something that's legit "near mint", I'll purposely downgrade it to "good" if there's no real difference in value.
When buying though, I really don't trust anyone's opinion of condition. If I can't hold the item and see it in real life, I do my best to judge by the pictures and not by what the seller listed it as. This way I'm not disappointed when I receive it. The terms mint and like new are essentially meaningless on ebay at this point, it almost seems like a lot of people think their items won't sell if they tell the truth. And yes, sometimes condition is a difference of opinion, but I see way too many scuffed up, marked up, chipped, ripped, torn, creased, and markered things listed as very good or like new. It's sometimes comical. Personally, if im looking for a copy of something and I'm looking for it in mint condition, I dont mind paying double market value as long as its truly mint.
I actually expect some tiny wear on mint, stuff you'd have to examine very closely to see. I equate Gem Mint to flawless, not mint. Also, if you expect mint to equal flawless, you will be disappointed almost every single time. Id rather expect tiny wear and be satisfied then expect flawless and be disappointed over and over.
Thats just a function of experience, and knowing how other people operate. To me mint means perfect, and that's why I'm pretty sure I've never used the term with anything I've sold. You are right though, you are better off expecting some flaws knowing how the majority of people seem to use the term.
I go by collector Mint. Take cards for example, Gem Mint is PSA 10, Mint is PSA 9. On VGA Gem Mint is 100 and Mint is 95+ and 95. What some people are describing as Mint is what I would consider Gem Mint. Mint is not necessarily the top of the scale, but a lot of people do seem to put it there.
Don't let that word get out! Next thing you know every listing will say Gem Mint and there will have to be another tier made up.
Listing: Got a sealed copy of SunsetRiders here.....diamond mint!
*shows up*
"....WTF, this is only gem mint!! "
If mint is a perfect 10, then what does "dead mint" mean?
Comic Book Grading Standards
by Chuck Rozanski
MINT
We do not offer to sell comics in "Mint" condition. Many of the comics we sell as "Near Mint/Mint" would qualify as "Mint," but we will not try to separate them as a category. Why? Because "Mint" is a standard that is too difficult to define. All comics have some flaws. They are produced in factories, by indifferent workers, in huge production runs. The odds of a "perfect mint" comic getting through that process are infinitesimally small. From our perspective, that makes trying to identify them and market them an impossible task. Collectors of "Mint" comics all have their own personal standards of what defines "Mint" and what reduces a comic to "Near Mint." An almost unnoticeable flaw will pass the standards of some "Mint" collectors and not others. It's just not commercially viable for us to try and second-guess people who go over their comics with a magnifying glass. So we do not even try to sell comics to that audience. If you desire "Mint" comics only, we strongly encourage you to seek out another source for your back issue needs.
NEAR MINT
All the comics we receive that are in exceptional condition fall into this category. For the most part, they are comics that are unread or were perhaps read once. This is a choice collectible and would meet the standard of the vast majority of collectors. Here are some other specifics:
Tears: Only a very minor (1/8th inch or less) tear might be acceptable.
Corner Bends: Only allowable if hardly noticeable.
Spine Stress Marks: Only allowable if very minor.
Staples: Must be nice and tight, including the centerfold.
Writing: Only small arrival dates are allowed.
Rubber Stamps: Not allowed in this grade.
Tape: No tape of any kind allowed in this grade.
Pieces Missing: In a rare instance, a very minor tip of a corner might have been nicked in the production process. But it must be very minor to qualify as Near Mint.
Fingerprints: When noticeable, they reduce a comic from Near Mint to Very Fine.
Waterstains: Not allowed in this grade.
Browning Paper: In either the interior or exterior, browning usually involves some measure of downgrading. But in a rare instance an otherwise sharp comic might have very light browning and still qualify as Near Mint. This is particularly important when grading old 12-cent comics which have had plenty of time to oxidize. We are pretty picky about browning, however, and only allow this grade when the browning almost undetectable.
Folds: No significant folds or fold lines are allowed in this grade. A very minor fold might pass if it was both very light and only in an outside corner.
Spine Rolling: Not allowed in this grade.
Off-Center Printing: Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
Cover Scuff Marks: Only allowed if hardly noticeable.
When grading for Near Mint, we look for any or all of the above flaws. If more than one of the above allowable flaws appears in the same comic, we almost automatically downgrade to Very Fine. It is our intent to screen comics in this grade to just the best we obtain.
VERY FINE
Very Fine is a category we have recently added to take into account the...
Did you guys see that ebay listing? That box was mint at best, but guy was asking super duper extra shinny precious gem mint price!
Did the noob even specify which Gem? That is critical, how is anyone supposed to know the condition. Was it sapphire mint? Garnet mint? Emerald mint?
I need to know which Gem dammit.
I think "New" is even more abused than mint. Anything short of sealed is not new. I can't count the number of times i've seen "brand new!" on regular cib or cart only games. -_-
Don't even.
If EB Games can sell their unsealed, roughed up, sun faded games as "NEW", Why not the rest of the world
Gem Mint- Can't be any more perfect. No scratches, scuffs, chips, dents or dings anywhere. Labels are centered, no flaws in printing or cutting.
Mint- Same as above but the only "damage" allowed must come
from simple manufacturing imperfections or minor damage from general aging. This would include label lifting, slightly miscut labels, or not perfectly centered ones. I even accept very-minor discoloration "streaks" that I've seen on otherwise perfect carts.
Near-Mint- If there is any minor wear from use that is only visible fwith thorough, unassisted (i.e. using a magnifying glass) inspection, or if scuffs are so slight that you have to hold it at a perfect-angle to see it, then it passes as Near-Mint.
Exceptions: Since I'm a GB collector, I've noticed a sad truth in 100% of all cases for the hundreds of high quality carts I have. Along the back of every single game, there are to "bars" that are smooth, rather than rough. These bars slide across guide rails on the Game Boy. I've opened and inspected a few sealed games and all games, including the sealed ones, have very-minor but noticable scrapes on these bars. I can only assume that this abrasion is caused by factory QA testing units. Ergo, finding a cart without such damage is near impossible and no one could ever expect to complete a set without this damage. I choose to ignore this damage and consider it "part of the design" since I've handled potentially thousands of carts (I'm also counting ones in shops) and I've never seen a game without this damage.
My point is this- yes, we desire those hyper-perfect specimens but in some cases they don't exist. When that's the case, you have to accept the gem-mint as damaged-by-design. It's a bummer but the alternative is to say that for a specific classification, gem-mints don't exist, and I just don't like that. Gem-mint might be the top .01%, but it should exist, regardless.