What does it mean for a trading card to be graded NrMT-mint?

Answer 1

NrMT-Mint or NM/M - Near Mint -Mint

In general the top two card grades are as follows:

Mint - A card with four sharp corners, 50/50 centering, no imperfections or signs of wear. Even cards straight out of the pack do not always grade mint.

Near Mint - A near-perfect card with perhaps one minor imperfection, such as one blunt corner. Centering is no worse than 60/40 and the card must have its original gloss. (Near Mint at one time had the same definition given above for Mint.)

NR/M-M or Near Mint-Mint in general is a grade given to cards that is nearly perfect, well centered with at least three sharp corners. A Near/Mint-Mint grade would be given to a card that is better than Near Mint but, not quite good enough to be graded Mint. Collectors and dealers will always find a way to achieve the highest grade possible to get the highest value.

The grade "Mint" was taken from a term used in coin collecting meaning a perfect coin that had never been handled or touched by human hands. Mint coins are placed directly into protective holders after being minted. This grade was adopted into the sports card hobby, and at one time was defined as a perfect card in the condition of its original form. Technically once you opened a pack of cards and touch it, the card could not be graded as "mint" Even the slightest trace of oils from your fingers could be considered a flaw in the card.

As such the grade Near/Mint was the highest grade a card could archive. This did not sit well with collectors that had the "perfect card", and the grade or term Near/Mint-Mint was given to cards that were better in grade than the definition given to a Near/Mint card. As the hobby grew and cards went from "shoe box residents" to thousand dollar collectibles the grade "Mint" was allowed into the hobby as a grade that could be achieved. Still not totally perfect but, the step up in grade pleased collectors.

The introduction of professional card graders took card grading one step higher as each grade was given a 10 point grading system such as Mint 8 or Mint 9, and it becomes more complicated. The adding of the grade Mint is all about getting more money. Sports card price guides still use the grade Near Mint as the highest grade, and a card that achieves a grade of "Mint" could sell at 150 percent the value given for the NM card