Grading
A smarter approach to card grading.
MAG is a hybrid grading service. Technology captures and measures what can be measured, and a trained grader reviews every card before a grade is issued. Here is what happens between the moment your card is received and the moment it can be verified online.
- 01
Imaging & Inspection
Cards are digitally captured front and back and reviewed for visible condition characteristics. Consistent lighting and positioning mean every card is documented the same way, which is what makes the rest of the process repeatable.
- 02
AI-Assisted Analysis
Technology assists in evaluating centering, surface characteristics, edges and corners. The output is measurement and observation — information a grader can act on, not a grade.
- 03
Human Evaluation
A trained grader reviews the card and the technology-assisted findings together. Judgment calls, print characteristics and anything the imaging cannot resolve are settled by a person.
- 04
Final Grade
The grade is finalized following MAG grading standards and quality control. Cards near a grade boundary receive an additional review before the grade is committed.
- 05
Encapsulation
The card is sealed in a MAG holder and assigned its unique certification number. The label records the card's identifying details and the assigned grade.
- 06
Digital Certification
The certification can be verified online using the nine-digit MAG certification number, giving collectors and buyers a way to confirm the record behind the slab.
What We Evaluate
Four condition categories
Every card is reviewed against the same four categories. They inform the overall grade and are recorded in the certification database, whether or not they appear on the certification page.
- Centering
- Front and back border alignment measured against the card's printed design.
- Corners
- Sharpness and integrity of all four corners, including fraying and softness.
- Edges
- Edge condition around the full perimeter, including chipping and whitening.
- Surface
- Print quality, gloss, scratches, indentations and other surface characteristics.
Grading Scale
MAG 1 through MAG 10
MAG uses the standard ten-point scale so grades read the way collectors already expect.
- 10Gem MintA card that presents as essentially flawless under MAG review, with strong centering and no notable wear.
- 9MintExcellent presentation with at most one minor characteristic visible on close inspection.
- 8Near Mint / MintA sharp card with very slight handling characteristics that do not affect overall eye appeal.
- 7Near MintMinor wear may be visible at one or more corners, edges or on the surface.
- 6Excellent / MintLight wear is apparent while the card still presents well from a normal viewing distance.
- 5ExcellentModerate corner or edge wear, or centering outside of the higher-grade ranges.
- 4Very Good / ExcellentNoticeable wear across multiple condition categories with the card fully intact.
- 3Very GoodClear handling wear such as rounded corners, surface scuffing or edge chipping.
- 2GoodHeavy wear that is immediately visible, including creasing or significant surface loss.
- 1PoorSevere damage affecting the structure or appearance of the card.
How We Talk About It
What MAG does and does not claim
MAG is not automated grading
Software supports our graders with imaging and measurement. It does not issue grades on its own, and no card leaves MAG without human review.
Grading involves judgment
Condition assessment is not a purely mechanical exercise. Our process is designed to reduce variability, and we describe it openly rather than promising outcomes we cannot guarantee.
We do not rank ourselves against other services
MAG grades to MAG standards. We publish our process and our scale so collectors can decide what that is worth to them.
Ready when submissions reopen
Review current service tiers and estimated turnaround times, or verify a card that has already been graded.