19/08/2026
Just a friendly “CARD CONDITION GUIDE” for everyone, especially for those who are new to collecting. 🐶🃏
Recently, we received a concern from one of our dibbers regarding some minor whitening on cards they received. We understand the concern, so I think this is also a good opportunity to explain how we describe card conditions here at Dogpack.
For every sale post, cards are declared as Near Mint (NM) unless we specifically state that they are in a lower condition. We also always recommend asking for additional photos “before dibbing” if you're looking for a cleaner copy or if you're very particular with condition.
One important thing to remember:
“NEAR MINT does not mean MINT.”
The word itself says it — *near* mint.
A Near Mint card can still have very minor imperfections such as “micro whitening, tiny edge/corner wear, or other very slight flaws”, while still having a clean overall appearance.
And yes, even a card pulled “fresh from a pack” isn't automatically Mint or Gem Mint. If you've opened a lot of packs, you've probably experienced pulling cards with whitening, rough cuts, off-centering, dents, or sometimes even actual damage straight from the pack. 😅
This is also why when checking raw-card market values on apps like Collectr, you'll commonly see “Near Mint” as the highest raw condition option. Market prices generally represent NM raw copies—not a guaranteed PSA/BGS/CGC 10 candidate.
Personally, I rarely declare a raw card as “Mint”. I've been buying and selling raw cards for years, and even with experience, I don't want to overpromise a condition based only on what I can see with the naked eye.
So for Dogpack, I would rather safely declare our clean cards as “Near Mint”.
If you're specifically looking for a “grading candidate”. especially something you're hoping will get a 10, please ask us for detailed front/back photos before claiming. We'll gladly provide them when possible. 🙌
At the end of the day, card condition can have small differences depending on the collector looking at it. That's why communication and knowing the basic condition standards are important for both buyers and sellers.
I made this simple guide to help our new followers and collectors who are just starting their journey. ❤️
Hopefully this helps clear things up and helps everyone enjoy collecting a little more.
Collect what you love, know what you're buying, and enjoy the hobby! 🐶🃏
— dog!
