I have been working on some updates to the collection manager, including the ability to specify a condition for each card.
Since there are so many different grading schemes out there I thought I'd let you vote on your favorite. So if you are using our collection manager, please select the grading scheme(s) that you'd like to use!
I think you could even go fewer than 5 grades:
Mint - pack fresh, might not have been exposed to sunlight or oxygen. Absolutely no flaw, nick, nothing that can be seen without a jeweler's loop. Almost no cards fit this category.
Lightly Played - some little white spots on the edges of the black borders, maybe a fingernail tap mark on the art or text box. Absolutely no folds, creases, visible scratches when held from 2 or 3 feet away. Closer to Mint than to damaged.
Heavily Played - This card has been in the wars; battle scars are apparent through double sleeves and across the table, but no missing pieces or illegibility of the art or text box. Closer to damaged than to Mint.
Damaged - God God, what did you do to this poor card? Missing corners, text or art rubbed off, water damage. Fit for altering, maybe by a talented hand. Almost no cards are listed for sale or valuation in this category.
Subtle gradations seem to be pretty subjective, so I believe a list with fewer chances for that subjectivity is better for realistic grading. I always hear people argue over their definition of mint compared to near mint, and near mint vs. lightly played, and lightly played compared to moderately played...
Most cards will fall into lightly or heavily played. Most of the disagreements over value happen when an attempt is made to split this largest group of cards into tough-to-define gradiations.
Anyway, my two cents. Looks like another good tool for the site however it gets implemented. Thanks, Nils!