Submission Process

Pristine 10

A Pristine 10 is a virtually flawless card to the eye. The centering is 50/50, and the card has flawless color and  outstanding eye appeal. All cards that Warrant a Monarch Pristine 10 grade will receive a  Exclusive color Monarch Cards Pristine 10 label.

Gem Mint 10
A Gem Mint 10 is a card that has received a 10  grade overall; however, one of the grading criteria does not meet the  requirements of a Pristine 10. Corners will appear perfect to the eye and Mint+ under 10x magnification. The surface is free of print  spots and should also display perfect gloss, devoid of any surface  flaws. Centering is not to better than 55/45, and reverse  centering is not to exceed 75/25.
 

Mint+ 9.5
A Mint+ 9.5 is a card that displays Outstanding eye  appeal for a Mint card. Qualities such as exceptional centering, surface  qualities/color or other key elements can elevate a card to a Mint+  grade.
 

Mint 9
A Mint card has four sharp corners with only minor  wear visible. Slight minor flaws on the edges may be visible. The  surface must have all original gloss; however, a small number of specks  or one minor spot or surface defect is allowed. For TCG cards, cards  will have only a few minor manufacturing or handling defects. For sports  and non-sports cards, centering must be 60/40 or better for the front  of the card, and 90/10 for the back.
 

Near Mint 8
A card graded 8 may also have a touch of wear on  three or more corners and/or slightly rough edges. The image may be  slightly out of register. A slight diamond cut is allowed, and very  slight wax staining is allowed on the reverse. For sports and non-sports  cards, centering should be 70/30 or better.

Ex/NM 7
For a grade of 7, no more than one “dinged” corner  is allowed or no more than two of the following flaws: two or three  fuzzy corners; slightly rough edges; noticeable print spots. A moderate  diamond cut is allowed, and wax staining on the front is acceptable. For  sports and non-sports cards, centering may be no worse than 75/25.
 

Excellent 6
At 6, the corners may exhibit “fuzzyness” and very  minor rounding. The corners may come to a point but may have two to  three “dinged” corners. There may also be chipping on the edges, minor  border discoloration, noticeable print spots and/or color or focus  imperfections on the surface. On cards with scratch-off surfaces, the  coating may be removed, but the surface is not damaged.
 

VG/Ex 5
At 5, corners may display slight rounding.  Noticeable surface flaws may include scuffing, scratches and one or more  light creases. While some original surface gloss may be visible,  borders may be off-white, and some minor staining is allowed. An  extremely noticeable diamond cut is allowed.
 

Very Good 4
A Very Good card can have four rounded corners,  but not extreme rounding. The surface may exhibit one moderate crease or  more than one light crease, and may also display scuffing or scratches  and loss of original gloss. The edges may have moderate wear, and  heavier staining of the stock can be visible on both the front and back  of the card.
 

Good 3
A card graded Good can have heavier creasing that  may travel across the surface of the card from edge to edge. The card  may also have some surface damage such as a small amount of writing on  the front or back. An extremely heavy diamond cut resulting in a near  miscut is allowed.
 

Fair 2
A Fair card can have one catastrophic flaw such as  a staple hole, small area of missing surface, severe creasing and/or  writing on the surface. The card may be miscut.
 

Poor 1
A Poor card may suffer from major surface damage  such as severe creasing that breaks the surface, and/or it may be  missing a small portion of the cardstock itself such as a portion of the  corner that has been torn away from the card. The card will have  multiple catastrophic flaws.