Pokémon Card Grading: Photo Inspection Guide
Start with condition, not rarity
A rare Pokémon card can still have worn edges or a damaged surface. Inspect condition separately from identity, rarity and market price. BAO Grade analyzes visible condition from front and back photographs and returns a provisional estimate with supporting evidence. It does not authenticate a card or certify a professional grade. Use the result to decide which areas deserve a closer look.
Inspect the front and back separately
Look for uneven printed borders, whitening along the back, corner wear and chips on the edges. On the front, check for scratches, print lines and dents under changing light. A front photograph alone can hide back-edge wear. Photograph both sides with all four corners visible, then compare the subgrades and confidence instead of judging only the overall number.
English and Japanese card layouts
Printed frames vary across languages, sets and card designs. Do not use one assumed border width for every Pokémon card. Full-art, borderless and textured designs can make centering boundaries uncertain. If a report cannot establish a reliable printed boundary, treat its centering assessment as uncertain and inspect the card directly. BAO does not guarantee automatic identification of every language or set.
Holographic and textured cards
Foil reflections can resemble whitening or surface damage. Use soft, even light for the first front and back photographs. If glare covers an area, take another photograph with the light moved rather than assuming the bright patch is a defect. Directional lighting may reveal a scratch that a straight-on photo misses. Avoid filters, sharpening and screenshots: submit the original camera photograph.
Sleeves and graded slabs
Protective plastic can add its own scratches and reflections. Where it is safe to handle a raw card, photograph it outside its sleeve on a flat, contrasting surface. Never open a graded slab for this process. BAO can be limited by the holder and cannot reliably distinguish every mark on plastic from a mark on the card. A holder label is not a ground-truth photographic measurement.
Use the estimate as a pre-grading check
Create a free account, accept the model-development terms and upload both sides. If BAO requests a recapture, follow that instruction before relying on a number. Free scans contribute privately to reviewed model development. For a professional submission, also consider handling risk, grading fees and the limits of photo inspection. BAO is independent of Pokémon and professional grading companies.