{{Short description|High-quality status of a good despite previous ownership}} {{for|the R&B group|Mint Condition}} [[File:BlackBuick1938HoodUpDok1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Vintage car]]s in optimal states of repair may be described as being in ''mint condition''.]]
'''Mint condition''' is an expression used to denote the quality of a pre-owned good as displaying virtually no imperfections and being in pristine condition relative to its original production state. Originally, the phrase related to the way collectors described the [[Coin grading|condition of coins]]. As the name given to a coin factory is a "mint", then ''mint condition'' is the condition a coin is in when it leaves the [[mint (facility)|mint]].<ref name=Thorp>{{Cite book |title=The Complete Guide to Stamp Collecting |last=Thorp |first=Prescott Holden |author-link=Prescott Holden Thorp |year=1953 |publisher=Minkus Publications |location=New York |oclc=2866199 |page=136 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IhYKGQAACAAJ}}</ref>
== Variations == The term ''mint condition'' may be used to describe a variety of collectible items, including [[action figure]]s, [[Doll|dolls]], [[Toy|toys]], [[philately|stamps]],<ref name="Thorp" /> [[record collecting|records]],<ref>{{cite book |title=Wax Trash and Vinyl Treasures: record collecting as a social practice |last=Shuker |first=Roy |year=2010 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |location=Surrey, UK |isbn=978-0-7546-6782-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/waxtrashvinyltre0000shuk/page/140 140] |url=https://archive.org/details/waxtrashvinyltre0000shuk |url-access=registration |quote=vinyl record condition ratings +mint. |access-date=2010-01-10}}</ref> [[comic books]], [[video games]], [[Coin|coins]] and similar items.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Comic Book Collecting for Fun and Profit |last=Benton |first=Mike |year=1985 |publisher=Crown Publ. |location=New York |isbn=0-517-55702-9 |page=51}}</ref> The term may have a slightly different meaning in each case. For instance, when describing [[trading cards]], [[Perfection (concept)|"perfect"]] condition is used to describe the condition as it is when pulled from a pack, while "mint" would be new but opened. Similar gradations of mint condition exist for other collectibles based on their specific characteristics. For example, a postage stamp may be [[mint stamp|mint or mint never hinged]].
Abbreviations include:<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/guidecollecting_sznn.htm |title=A guide to collecting barbies: preservation, finding and other tips |work=essortment.com |access-date=2010-08-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408173558/http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/guidecollecting_sznn.htm |archive-date=2009-04-08}}</ref>
*MIB: Mint In Box *MIP: Mint In Package *MISB: Mint In Sealed Box *MOC: Mint On Card (for accessories sold attached to a card) *NRFB: Never Removed From Box
== See also == *{{Wikt-inline|mint condition}} *[[Mint (disambiguation)]] *[[New old stock]] *[[Sheldon coin grading scale]], including "Mint State"
==References== {{reflist}}
[[Category:Conditions of collectibles]]