Collectible Condition Terminology
First what is a collectible? Basically it can be anything that you want to create a collection of.
Collectors and Dealers use these terms to described the quality of an item, usually referring to art pottery, bottles,comic books, dolls, costume jewelry and toys, just to name a few. But, in general can be used to describe almost anything that is considered collectible. Terms that are used to described the items condition. Mint, Near Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good and Poor...
Mint- A never-used collectible in perfect condition with complete
packaging (including instructions, original attachments, tags, and
so on) identical to how it appeared on the shelf in the original box.
means perfect, if the item's not literally in perfect shape, it's not mint.
Have you ever stopped and wondered what the word "MINT" means when you use it? As in "this item is MINT in box." The word gets used all the time, but often incorrectly. Collectors quickly adopted the term. Unlike terms such as "good" or "excellent" which could mean different things to different people, "mint" has a very precise meaning. An object described as in "MINT CONDITION" means, literally, that the item looks as if it just came off the assembly line in the factory; that there is not a single defect of any kind in the product. It is in the BEST possible condition a product can possibly be in. Because this term is used by collectors, a seller should be aware that what an ordinary person may perceive as perfect may not be sufficient. For example, condition of the box in which a toy was purchased is very important. While a crease in the laminate of the surface of a carboard box may not even be visible to the ordinary buyer or uneducated seller, it is of concern to the collector. Again, because this is a term derived from the collector community, there is an expectation that when it is used, the seller is indicating that he/she can properly evaluate the "collectible" condition of the item. In practice on eBay this almost never seems to be the case.
Near Mint-The collectible is perfect but no longer has the original
packaging or the original packaging is less than perfect. Possibly
used but must appear to be new. the item has no cracks, scratches, chips and has been taken out of the box but never been used, or played with. The value and pricing depend on the quality of the item.
Excellent-Used, but barely. Excellent is just a small step under Near
Mint, and many sellers mistakenly interchange the two, but
Excellent can have very minor signs of wear. The wear must be a
normal, desirable part of aging or so minor that it’s barely
noticeable and visible only upon close inspection. Damage of any
sort is not “very minor.” Wear or minor, normal factory
flaws should be noted.
Very Good - Looks very good but has defects, such as a minor chip or light
color fading.
Good - Used with defects. More than a small amount of color loss,
chips, cracks, tears, dents, abrasions, with missing parts.
Poor - Not worth collecting!
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Collectors and Dealers use these terms to described the quality of an item, usually referring to art pottery, bottles,comic books, dolls, costume jewelry and toys, just to name a few. But, in general can be used to describe almost anything that is considered collectible. Terms that are used to described the items condition. Mint, Near Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good and Poor...
Mint- A never-used collectible in perfect condition with complete
packaging (including instructions, original attachments, tags, and
so on) identical to how it appeared on the shelf in the original box.
means perfect, if the item's not literally in perfect shape, it's not mint.
Have you ever stopped and wondered what the word "MINT" means when you use it? As in "this item is MINT in box." The word gets used all the time, but often incorrectly. Collectors quickly adopted the term. Unlike terms such as "good" or "excellent" which could mean different things to different people, "mint" has a very precise meaning. An object described as in "MINT CONDITION" means, literally, that the item looks as if it just came off the assembly line in the factory; that there is not a single defect of any kind in the product. It is in the BEST possible condition a product can possibly be in. Because this term is used by collectors, a seller should be aware that what an ordinary person may perceive as perfect may not be sufficient. For example, condition of the box in which a toy was purchased is very important. While a crease in the laminate of the surface of a carboard box may not even be visible to the ordinary buyer or uneducated seller, it is of concern to the collector. Again, because this is a term derived from the collector community, there is an expectation that when it is used, the seller is indicating that he/she can properly evaluate the "collectible" condition of the item. In practice on eBay this almost never seems to be the case.
Near Mint-The collectible is perfect but no longer has the original
packaging or the original packaging is less than perfect. Possibly
used but must appear to be new. the item has no cracks, scratches, chips and has been taken out of the box but never been used, or played with. The value and pricing depend on the quality of the item.
Excellent-Used, but barely. Excellent is just a small step under Near
Mint, and many sellers mistakenly interchange the two, but
Excellent can have very minor signs of wear. The wear must be a
normal, desirable part of aging or so minor that it’s barely
noticeable and visible only upon close inspection. Damage of any
sort is not “very minor.” Wear or minor, normal factory
flaws should be noted.
Very Good - Looks very good but has defects, such as a minor chip or light
color fading.
Good - Used with defects. More than a small amount of color loss,
chips, cracks, tears, dents, abrasions, with missing parts.
Poor - Not worth collecting!
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