10 (Gem Mint)
Flawless or nearly flawless card. All four corners are sharp, edges and surfaces show no wear, and centering is close to perfect (within roughly 55/45)
At Phantom Labs, every card is evaluated with a blend of expert craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. Each submission is inspected in-house by our trained grading specialists using high-resolution microscopes to assess surface quality, corner sharpness, edge integrity, and centering accuracy.
We grade on four specific factors: Centering, Corners, Edges, and Surface. Each factor receives a grade between 1-10. We take the lowest of the four grades and that is the final grade of the card. For instance a card graded Centering: 8 , Corners: 10, Edges: 10 , Surface: 10 , will receive a final grade of 8.
The edges should be crisp without fraying, chipping or dents
Flawless or nearly flawless card. All four corners are sharp, edges and surfaces show no wear, and centering is close to perfect (within roughly 55/45)
Virtually identical to a 10 but with one very minor imperfection such as a tiny edge nick or slight off centering
A highgrade card with a few minor imperfections (small whitening on corners or edges). Centering typically better than 70/30
Slight wear is visible on corners, edges or surface; may have minor printing defects. Centering must usually be 75/25 or better
Noticeable damage or printing defects. Multiple corners or edges show wear. Centering is often around 80/20
More visible printing defects or surface scratches; corners may be misshapen and edges frayed
Card has moderate scratching and rounded edges or corners. Surface and centering issues are more apparent
Card shows moderate wear and may have multiple scratches or moderate corner and edge damage
Significant wear in one or more areas, including heavy scratches, warped edges and obvious defects
Heavy damage and overall loss of integrity—severe scratching, warped edges and very noticeable defects
Provide your contact information and details about each card you’re submitting—set/series, year, card number and any special features. (PL's checklist notes that downloading or filling a submission form is the first step
Place each card in a protective holder (top loader or semirigid card saver) and gently tape the holders together to create a “brick.” Put the cards and printed submission form in a sturdy box and cushion the package with bubble wrap, foam or newspaper so the cards don’t shift. Then ship the package to our facility using a retailer agent, shipping partner or another authorized agent.
Our graders will authenticate and grade your cards. Once grading is complete, we’ll send you an invoice via email.
After payment is received, we encapsulate your cards and ship them to the authorized agent for customer pickup or forward them directly to you, depending on your submission method. We will provide tracking information once the cards have shipped.
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Disclaimer: All product names, logos, brands and card images featured on this site are the property of their respective trademark holders. They are shown here only to illustrate the types of cards we grade and do not imply any endorsement or affiliation. We do not claim ownership of any third‑party trademarks, images or intellectual property phantom grading is a division of phantom brands inc.