What PSA Grades Mean and When Grading a Card Is Worth It
PSA grades a card on a scale of 1 to 10 based on its condition, and grading only makes sense when the card is both sought after and in genuinely good shape.
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What PSA grading actually is
PSA, short for Professional Sports Authenticator, is one of the best-known card grading companies. You send them a card, they check that it is genuine, judge its condition, and seal it in a clear plastic holder, usually called a slab, with a label showing the card details and a grade.
The point of grading is trust. A buyer who cannot hold your card in their hands has to take your word for its condition. A grade from a recognised company gives both sides a shared, independent opinion, which is why graded copies of popular cards often sell more easily than raw ones.
PSA grades Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh! and sports cards, along with many others. Other companies such as BGS, CGC and SGC do similar work with their own scales and label styles, but the PSA scale is the one most collectors mention first.
The PSA scale from 1 to 10
PSA 10, Gem Mint, is a card that looks essentially perfect: sharp corners, clean edges, a glossy surface and good centring. PSA 9, Mint, allows one very small flaw, such as a tiny white speck on the back edge or centring that is slightly off.
PSA 8 is Near Mint-Mint and PSA 7 is Near Mint. These cards still look lovely in hand but show a little more wear under close inspection, such as light corner softening or faint surface marks. PSA 6 is Excellent-Mint and PSA 5 is Excellent, where wear becomes easy to spot.
Further down, PSA 4 is Very Good-Excellent, PSA 3 is Very Good, PSA 2 is Good, 1.5 is Fair and 1 is Poor. These are cards with creases, heavy whitening, stains or damage. PSA also gives half grades in the middle of the scale for cards that sit between two levels.
If a card is genuine but cannot be given a number, perhaps because it has been trimmed or altered, it may come back labelled Authentic. If PSA cannot confirm it is genuine, it will not be slabbed as real.
What graders look at
Graders judge four main things. Centring is how evenly the printed picture sits within the borders, front and back. Corners should be sharp and square rather than rounded or frayed. Edges should be free of chips and white nicks, which show up most on cards with dark borders.
The surface is the fourth area and often the hardest to judge at home. Tilt the card under a bright light and look for scratches, print lines, dents, fingerprints and loss of gloss. Holographic cards pick up fine scratches very easily, and these can pull a grade down even when the corners are perfect.
Sometimes a label carries a qualifier, such as OC for off-centre or ST for staining. This means the card earned a certain grade overall but has one specific problem. Qualified grades are generally less wanted by buyers, so it is worth knowing what those letters mean before you buy a graded card.
When grading is worth it
Grading costs money and takes time, so the question is always whether the graded card will be worth clearly more than the raw card plus the fees and postage. For most cards the honest answer is no. Common cards from recent sets rarely justify the cost, even in top condition.
Grading tends to make sense for three kinds of cards. First, cards that are already valuable raw, such as early holographic Pokémon, key vintage Magic cards or classic Yu-Gi-Oh! monsters, where a high grade can make a real difference. Second, modern cards that are in demand and look flawless, where a top grade is what buyers are really paying for. Third, cards you want to protect and authenticate for your own collection or for insurance.
Before deciding, look up what the card actually sells for, both raw and in several different grades, using sold listings rather than asking prices. A quick scan with SnapCardValue can tell you what the card is and show its recent market value, which helps you judge whether it is even in the right range to consider.
How to judge your card before sending it
Be strict with yourself. Most people overrate their own cards because they look at them with affection. Check the card under a strong light, use a magnifier or your phone camera zoomed in, and look at the back as carefully as the front, since back edges often show the first signs of wear.
Measure the centring by comparing the border widths on opposite sides. If one side is visibly thicker than the other, a top grade is unlikely. Any crease, however faint, will usually keep a card well below the top of the scale, and so will a bend you can see when you look along the card from the side.
If your honest estimate is a mid-range grade and the card is not especially valuable, you may do better selling it raw with clear, well-lit photos. Keep grading for the cards where condition really is excellent or where authenticity matters to buyers.
Preparing and sending a card
Handle the card as little as possible and with clean, dry hands. Put it in a fresh penny sleeve, then into a semi-rigid card holder, which is what PSA and most grading companies prefer. Avoid tape directly on the sleeve and do not try to clean or press the card, as that can cause damage or be treated as alteration.
Check the current PSA service levels, turnaround times and submission rules on its official website before you send anything, because these change from time to time. Many collectors in the UK and elsewhere also use a local submission service or a club group submission, which can simplify shipping and customs.
Your questions, answered.
What is the difference between PSA 9 and PSA 10?
A PSA 10 Gem Mint card is essentially flawless, while a PSA 9 Mint card has one very minor flaw, such as a tiny edge speck or slightly uneven centring. For sought-after cards, that small difference can matter a great deal to buyers.
Is it worth getting a Pokémon card graded?
It is worth it when the card is valuable or in high demand and in excellent condition. For common cards or cards with visible wear, the grading fees usually cost more than the grade adds.
What does OC mean on a PSA label?
OC stands for off-centre. It means the card received its grade based on its other qualities but its centring falls short of the standard normally expected for that grade.
Can PSA grade a card that has been cleaned or trimmed?
PSA checks for alterations. A card that appears trimmed, recoloured or otherwise altered will not receive a number grade and may be returned as Authentic or rejected.
Should I grade a card myself before sending it to PSA?
Yes, a careful self-check saves money. Inspect centring, corners, edges and surface under bright light, and only send cards you honestly believe are in very good condition or need authenticating.