Methodology

How U.C.M Prices Work

Where the numbers come from, what they mean and where they can be wrong.

Where a price comes from

Every price shown in U.C.M is a market estimate based on recent sales of the same card or product, refreshed throughout the day. It is a guide for collectors. It is not an offer to buy or sell, and it is not financial advice.

Condition matters

An estimate describes a typical copy. The real price of your card depends on its condition, so a worn card is worth less than the figure shown and a mint one can be worth more.

Graded prices

Where sales data exists for graded copies, U.C.M shows graded prices such as PSA 10 next to the raw price. Graded sales are rarer than raw sales, so a graded figure can move more from week to week. Cards with no graded sales show no graded price.

English and Japanese prints

English and Japanese prints of the same card are different products with their own prices, and U.C.M keeps them apart. Variants of one card (for example an alternate art or a foil print) are priced separately. See card variants explained.

How the weekly news is chosen

Every week U.C.M writes news for each game from its own price data: the top cards by price, price risers and drops, and sealed products, each with the date of the prices. Read the latest on the weekly news page. Each page states the week it covers.

What a scan result means

When you scan a card, U.C.M reads the text and number on it and looks for the exact print in its catalog. If a few prints look alike, it shows you the closest matches so you can pick the right one instead of guessing.

Limits we are open about

• Very new releases may show no price until sales exist.
• A few cards have no market data at all, and the app shows no price for them instead of a made-up one.
• Scans work best in good light with the whole card in view.

Found a wrong price or a wrong match? Tell us at [email protected]. More: about U.C.M · FAQ · collector guides.