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Condition grades

What C10 through C1 mean, and how the box is graded on its own.

Step by step

1. Open the item and choose Edit.
2. Pick the grade that fits the piece under Condition, and grade the box on its own under Box.
3. Torn between two grades? Pick the lower one and say why in the description. A careful grade is one buyers and insurers trust.

The grades

• C10 Mint
• C9 Factory new
• C8 Like new
• C7 Excellent
• C6 Very good
• C5 Good
• C4 Fair
• C3 Worn
• C2 Poor
• C1 For parts

The box

The box has its own scale: No box, Poor, Fair, Good, Very good, Excellent, Like new. An original box in good shape can add a lot to a piece's value, so it's worth recording even when the train itself is worn.

Grades are your judgment

These follow the usual collector shorthand, but grading is always an opinion. Photos of the worst side as well as the best make your grade easy for someone else to trust.