Inspect the actual copy
For a card you own, use clear light and handle it carefully by the edges. For an online purchase, request clear front and back photographs of the exact copy, including close-ups of unclear areas. Stock images and photographs of another graded card do not establish this card's condition.
Work around the card
Corners: inspect all four on both sides for rounding, whitening or bends. Edges: look along each edge for chips, wear or dents. Surface: check for scratches, marks, stains and creases; a different lighting angle may reveal details a straight-on image misses. Centering: note visibly uneven borders where the design provides them.
Keep the observations separate. “White spot on the lower back edge” is more useful than “looks mint.” If an area is obscured by glare or a sleeve, write “not visible” rather than assuming it is undamaged. Do not clean, press or alter a card to try to improve its grade.
Read condition terms in context
For raw cards, read the marketplace or seller's published condition definitions and return terms. A label is a starting point; compare it with the photographs and disclosed flaws. Do not assume that two sellers use the same words to mean exactly the same thing.
For graded cards, record the grading company, grade and any qualifier. PSA's published standards describe condition attributes and acknowledge judgment in grading. Your own photo inspection cannot promise the grade a company would assign to a raw card.
Ask a question that closes a gap
Instead of “Is it perfect?”, ask “Can you show the top-left back corner and the surface without glare?” If a seller cannot clarify a flaw that matters to you, you can pause the purchase. There is no requirement to turn incomplete evidence into a confident condition claim.
Write a condition note you can reuse
Record: raw or graded; front; back; corners; edges; surface; what is unclear. Keep that note beside the identity details. When you compare sold results next, use similar condition evidence and keep raw cards separate from graded examples.