Raw card
A raw card is a card that has not been graded or sealed in a grading company's holder. It is sold by its condition, from Near Mint down to Damaged.
In more detail
Raw cards sit in sleeves, toploaders or binders, and a buyer relies on the seller's photos and condition grade. TCGplayer's marketplace, for example, lists singles as Near Mint, Lightly Played, Moderately Played, Heavily Played or Damaged.
Condition on a raw card is an opinion, and two sellers can describe the same card differently. A slab fixes one company's opinion in a label, which is why buyers pay more for a graded card than for a raw copy of the same card.
Protect a raw card before you mail it anywhere, whether to a buyer or a grading company: a soft sleeve first, then a rigid holder, then padding in the box.
Related terms
Where Rip.fan covers it
Updated