Our Condition Grading Scale

Mint
Items in Mint condition will often be, in some ways, superior to New items. Whereas New, unopened items sometimes conceal factory flaws in workmanship or materials, Mint used items have been carefully inspected and each component is flawlessly formed and free of marks of any kind. Generally, each part will represent the ideal as would be expected from a New product. The Mint designation is, however, slightly flexible when speaking of items several decades of age. Some types of materials have a natural aging process, and items that display the absolute minimum of normal aging will be acceptable as Mint. Mint used items bearing paint, silkscreened printing, and the like will have all of the color and vividness of the best New product. Mint is usually the most desired condition for collectors in the Used category. All pieces should be extremely clean, as New.

Near Mint
Near Mint condition indicates an item that is very close to the high standards of Mint. Near Mint allows slightly more flexibility in the area of marking (very shallow scratch, small dig). However, if there is any marking present, it should be only at such a subtle level that it would require strong lighting and possibly magnification in order to detect. In addition, printing or paint standard on the item may be slightly less bright than Mint items. All components should be extremely clean.

Excellent
Used items in Excellent condition relax the standard slightly farther, while still ensuring that the piece is of extremely collectible quality. Vintage items in Excellent condition may feature very light wear consistent with careful use over time. Paint or printed patterns on components or face plates may have been slightly affected by normal skin oils and thus lightly faded or discolored - especially metallic inks. As with all of the above, the older the item, the more leeway should be given.

Very Good
Collectibles in Very Good used condition compromise in one or only a handful of small details versus items in Excellent condition. A typical item in Very Good condition will have many component parts that range from Excellent to Mint condition, with minor scuffing, chewing, folding, or very limited and purely cosmetic breakage in an extremely minor, nearly invisible area of the product. Alternatively, inks or paints present on a New item may be entirely missing in a single area of limited size. Every surface of the product should be very clean, with at most only the slightest sign that there may have been some dust on the product in the past. Again as with all of the above, the older the item, the more leeway should be given.

Good
With items in Good condition, unless approximately 30 years old or more, serious collectors may wish to seek out a higher grade. Good condition indicates that up to half of the component parts of the product may feature some level of scoring, scuffing, scratching, digging, etc., consistent with normal household use. Breakage, if present, will be minor and limited to a small area or a small percentage of components not affecting normal function of the article. Patterned items printed or painted may feature extensive fading to the point of being difficult to make out. Books in Good condition will have been read more than once. However, all items classified as Good condition will be clean and free of debris. In the case of sets, all pieces should be present and exactly correct per the factory specifications of color and pattern, as is the case with all condition ratings above.

Fair
Vintage items classified as Fair will feature wear consistent with regular and sustained use. Toys, in particular, if played with by children or youths, will be typically of Fair quality. Fair condition items will normally showcase a moderate level of wear and tear, but still remain usable.  Extensive cleaning swirls, bent, rounded or chipped corners, controls that perhaps have replaced or substituted knobs or levers, sets with color-substituted pieces, moderate chewing, deep scoring and scuffing up to 1mm in depth are all allowable at the Fair condition rating. In the case of books, the spine may have some looseness or a crack in the middle when the book lays flat on a table, or if stapled, one staple may have worn through a few pages. Slight dust is allowable at the Fair rating. In the case of sets, such as LEGO, all of the pieces should be of the correct type, with only a very small percentage of pieces substituted for a different color than that specified by the factory. 

Poor
Many everyday items from half a century ago will feature this level of condition. Classic items at the Poor condition rating level will display signs of rougher-than-normal use or handling over a long period of time. Items of Poor condition may be of untested functionality and likely to have problems working as expected. Electronics in particular may need the attentions of a skilled technician in order to become workable. Some restoration work is the norm for any item in this classification. Toys, including LEGO sets in Poor condition will feature several un-usable or missing pieces, with many of those pieces present being of below-average quality (heavy teething, soiling, pet activity). Sets or lots will often additionally include mixed, non-related junk items. 

Very Poor
Generally speaking, items of Very Poor condition will be difficult to restore to acceptable usability. This is the converse of Mint. Items will potentially feature severe odors, health concerns, heavy soiling, chipping, breakage, smashing, and extremely rounded-off corners, among other problems. Sets of items will be missing up to half of the pieces shipped from the factory. Printed patterns will typically be lost under layers of grime and wear. Functionality is virtually guaranteed to be non-working.