GRADES
C-10:
Means: The Best of the best, the most mint perfect item ever available: in two words: Super Mint! C-10痴 are very awkward to grade. This condition means that the packaging is absolutely perfect! There are no faults at all. There are no creases at all (no minor creases anywhere on the packaging at all!). If it痴 a Figure, there are no corner bends on the card. No problems at all on the card or the bubble. Absolutely Mint Perfect Condition. You may never see us ever use the term C-10. For further information (see below under: How The Term Case Fresh Is Used).

C-9:
Means: Almost Mint, almost perfect or near mint to mint. C-9痴 are the most commonly used term for new items in this day and age. C-9 also means the item term case fresh (see below under: How The Term Case Fresh Is Used). The C-9 condition means: the item痴 packaging is in new condition. The item is in the same fresh looking condition it arrived from the manufacture in or termed case fresh. The only sign of any minor wear is: slight edge or corner creases or just extremely light card surface wrinkle creases. The Plus sign + is given to this grading if the creases or wrinkle to the packaging card are extremely light or not very noticeable. The Plus sign + is also given if the bubble of a carded figure looks to be mint clean. Again if the item is a carded figure, the bubble is not cracked, not damaged, has no price marks, but may have extremely light surface card wrinkle or an extremely minor card crease. C-9 can also be termed near mint to mint condition, in short. If you don稚 see a grading on any item we sell then you can rest knowing that it痴 a C-9 unless noted. C-9- is given to Cinema Scene 3pks which are termed case fresh but may have a slight plastic bubble wrinkle on the top of the window, the reason why is because most were shipped this way and some were extremely hard to pull from a case without a minor wrinkle crease. If the item listed is a Loose Complete Toy, then it痴 clean and like new condition or only displayed not played with, in clean new looking condition. Sometimes we are harsh on grading, so some figures may be better to some collectors.

C-8:
Means: The item is Mint, however it has got wear. C-8 packaging has Minor more established wear. The creasing is more noticeable. Or the packaging may have a slight indent or heavy crease. If a carded figure, there maybe a slight indent to the bubble on the card. There could also be or just have more noticeable wear to the cards corner bottom edge or edges. C-8痴 are still displayable but are less then perfect mint. C-8痴 might have all above so called problems, or may only have one or two problems. We may have items in this category on near mint card, but have a much more noticeable problem that could be creasing on the Card, some but not many might have a perfect bubble and have a major crease, or the card might be near mint but have a bubble problem. A plus sign + is only given if the wear is minor or only has one problem which places the item in this category like a heavy crease or only a minor Bubble dent or two or maybe just minor wrinkles. As an example a C-8+ could have just bubble dents which are minor and the rest of the card might be looking almost perfect! Or another example is a minor bubble dent or wrinkle with almost a perfect card. Also some times a carded figure may have only been placed in this grading because of either the store display hangar has some minor shelf ware (not ripped or torn off as that's an automatic C-6 see below), or just some very minor self ware to the packaging card. As you can see C-8's can vary in conditions. If you are ever worried contact us before bidding or buying so you know exactly what might be wrong with a specific item condition. C-8痴 are extremely common conditions, but do sometimes scare the collector if they are chasing an item without figure bubble or card problems or some kind of shelf wear. Some C-8痴 might only have a minor price or surface tear which is less then half a centimetre or up to 3mm, but if that痴 the only case with the item then the item will be listed with C-8- micro tear. If a C-8 has a tear- it is listed with a tear. If the 奏ear・is not listed beside a C-8 item, then rest assured there is no tear at all on that C-8 item. If the listed item is a Loose Complete Toy, then it痴 clean but in played with or slightly worn condition.

C-7:
Means: The item packaging has moderate to heavy wear. The packaging may have extremely heavy creasing worst then C-8 or if a carded figure; it may have been folded over with wear which is very noticeable. The bubble will have severe indents or creasing. There will be a price sticker or surface tear on the card either front or back or have a rough card condition, or it could mean the item only has a price tear on the front. Tears larger then 3mm automatically become C-7 regardless of any other card condition at all. A plus sign + is only given if the tear is the only thing wrong with the product or if the bubble is the only thing wrong with the product. Tears are again listed beside the item or marked with (damaged). This condition grade is usually unacceptable for collectors who want to keep items in their personal collections for value at a later date, unless it痴 a rare item. C-7: figures (which, if ever listed) marked with 蘇oles on card・ means from a stappler only. No C-7 has holes unless noted C-7-.

C-6:
Means: the item packaging has extremely heavy wear and damage. Very Bad Shelf wear. Will have tears, very bad creasing, or other extremely severe damage. It is suggested that you only buy C-6 items for kids, or for buying items for a display or for your own loose complete mint collection. Collectors usually only buy these items for a guaranteed Mint Loose item. These items in C-6 are not recommended for collectors wanting boxed or carded collectibles for later value with this packaging. Some times but not usually you can have a seemly perfect bubbled figure, but the store display hangar at the top of the card which holds the item on a display rank may have been seriously damaged or completely ripped away. Any carded figure missing their display hangar regardless of any of condition is an automatic C-6 or C-5.

C-5:
Means: The item packaging has severe damage. The item contents are still mint, but the packaging is badly damaged. Any carded figure with the C-5 grade will be missing the upc- proof of purchase or bar code. This means someone has cut the box on the back of the card off for special offers etc. Any figure or item missing the upc- proof of purchase or bar code cut from the card is automatically C-5, it does not matter if the bubble is fine or the items box is fine, but once the UPC has been cut off, the packaging has lost any real value down the line. Again these items in the C-5 grade are not recommended for collectors wanting boxed or carded collectibles for later value with its packaging.

C-4 TO C-1:
Means: These lower grades were invented for items without much packaging. The lower grades speak really for themselves. Originally this grade meant your Loose Complete toy was mint but no one really ever uses any grade lower then C-5 anymore. Originally C-4 was a Carded figure with a reattached bubble either glued or sticky tapped back on, or a carded figure with a smashed bubble. This 鼎・grade also use to mean a boxed toy with some packaging. C-4 down to C-1 does not really mean much anymore. People in now days usually rate the box or packaging separate to there Item inside and give a multiple grading for the item, packaging and if it came with it- the insert packaging for some toys.

THE LOOSE COMPLETE SCALE?:

There use to be a scale in the above, where Loose Toys were graded in the C-4 to C-1 range. Since then, the grading system has changed and now Loose Complete toys, have their own 鼎・System which is basically a spin off 鼎・grade system, Where C-9/C-10 is a new Loose Complete mint item, C-9 is a new condition item which may have been displayed and may have minor sticker wear etc. The system for this goes on, with different conditions for faded or damaged toys as well as sound working or not working too, Action figures with loose joints or colour fades. You just have to remember that if you ever see or list your own items using the 鼎・system, the systems are different. These are ultimately separated by Mint On Card (MOC) Mint In Box (MIB) Mint In Packet (MIP) which are for all Mint items using the 鼎・System or just Loose Complete plus the 鼎・System which separates the two. When the 鼎・System is used, it is ultimately separated by the Mint Boxed or Loose Complete categories.

TERMINOLOGIES
Basic condition expressions which have been around since 1987 have been used for collector listings ever since, these are primarily used for any listings anywhere today. The following expressions were the forerunners to the Original and today痴 鼎・grading System. These basic terms are used by most of the population today, but some people still don稚 understand what they mean? Each of these terms should be used along with the 鼎・grading system so the conditions make much more sense- where possible. They are very easy to understand as follows:

MOC:
Means: Mint on Card or Carded, The figure is Mint still sealed on its original bubble and on its original card, never opened, Mint!

MIB (or) MISB:
Means: Mint In Box and or Mint In Sealed Box. The item is sealed new and has never been opened. Note some U.S dealers are trying to confuse people with NMIB with some of their Mint In box listings so make sure if dealing with them you know what the heck they are listing their items as, MIB does sound like it痴 supposed to be sealed? Doesn稚 it! NMIB is not sealed see below.

(or) MISP:
Means: Mint In Package and or Mint In Sealed Package. The item is sealed new and has never been opened or removed from the items original package. These could also refer to items which were only bagged and not put in proper cardboard packaging, nevertheless these items in this grade are how the manufacture originally released these items and they are Mint.

NMIB:
Means: Near Mint In box. The toy is C-9/10 with complete interior packaging. The Condition of the item is stated in the listing with either the stickers applied or unapplied to the toy or item. Some MIB items receive this classification only because they have been opened for customs or parcel inspection and it does depend on the item condition, the box is not sealed. Content is Mint to Near Mint. Note Some U.S dealers are trying to sell this category as MIB, be warned! Depending on the item, the prices are not much different to Mint In Box, again it depends on the item condition and how rare the item is. Some people past this condition as standard Mint In box, however it is Near Mint In box.

NIB (or) Nice boxed:
Means: Items in this grade are just below NMIB and the box has been opened. Products used under this grade refer to the toy being:

Nice In Box
The toy is C-9 complete with some interior packaging. The Condition of the item is stated in the listing with the stickers applied. The toy may have been displayed but not played with. The toy has been placed back inside its original box or packaging. Items in this grade may or may not have all original packaging inside. This refers to booklets, instructions and maybe the wire wrap-ins which held the toy together inside the box. Some may not have all original interior cardboard inserts, but should have some packaging at least. Some People Have started confusing buyers with NIB or New In Box, if this is the case then you must ask the seller if it's MIB (see above!).

AVEG (or) WBOX (or) With Box (or) Loose With Box:
Means: The Toy comes complete in close to near Mint C-8+/C-9 condition unless stated inside a title or description. The Toy is complete, but the box has been opened. There is wear to the box. There is no interior packaging or any cardboard packaging at all. There is no booklets and no instructions inside. Some of the item痴 boxes in this section grade maybe a little bit rough. Collectors usually go after these items before a Loose Complete toy or item, as the box refers to the toy, plus the boxes are much easier to store for later reference.

LOOSE COMPLETE:
Means: These items usually speak for themselves. Toys or items in the Loose Complete category start with their own 鼎・System terminology. If the 鼎・system is not applied to these items, then the items are usually automatically graded at C-8+ to C-9+. Some items may have been used but are usually clean. All Items listed under Loose Complete come with all accessories the toy or item had when originally released. These items are extremely popular, especially with parents and kids who can not afford the more expensive items when first brand new released. Collectors who don't have a lot of space usually buy these over Mint In Box items and are more then happy with having them.

LOOSE:
Means: unless stated otherwise? Loose items are not-complete unless noted inside a title or description. These items could have parts or pieces missing from them. These items are usually listed with what is missing, or are listed with a picture in loose or As Is Condition・ this means the seller does not know if the original item is complete or it may be missing something, or a condition maybe slightly lower then average.

MISC/OTHERS
M - Mint
ME - Masterpiece Edition
MIB - Mint in Box
MIMP - Mint in Mint Package
MIP - Mint in Package
MISB - Mint in Sealed Box
MMB - Mint in Mint Box
MOA - Man of Action
MO - Money Order
MOC - Mint on Card
NCNP - Not complete, no package (Cotswolds)
NRFB - Never Removed From Box
NRFC - Never Removed from Card
NRMT - Near Mint

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