Graded Card Guide

A grade belongs to a specific grading company

A numerical grade should always be read together with the company named on the label. PSA, Beckett, ARS, PCG and other grading companies use their own standards, holders and labels. A grade from one company is not automatically equivalent to the same number from another.

What the numbers mean

Most card-grading companies use a scale in which a higher number indicates a card judged to be in better condition. The table below is a practical overview of PSA's published 1-10 card scale, not a promise that another company will assign the same grade.

PSA grade	Plain-language overview
10	Gem Mint: a virtually perfect card, subject to PSA's stated allowances and centering tolerances.
9	Mint: a very strong card with only a minor flaw.
8	Near Mint-Mint: high-end condition with a small amount of visible imperfection.
7	Near Mint: minor wear or a small printing or surface issue may be visible.
5-6	Excellent to Excellent-Mint: progressively more visible corner, edge, surface, or printing wear.
3-4	Very Good to Very Good-Excellent: clear wear and potentially light creasing or more noticeable defects.
1-2	Poor to Good: heavy wear, creasing, discoloration, or other substantial defects may be present.

Read the current official PSA grading standards for the grader's complete definitions. Grade names, half grades, subgrades, Pristine designations, and special labels vary between companies and can change. Always use the standard published by the company shown on the slab.

Grade, authenticity, and value are different

• Authentication is the grader's opinion about whether the card is genuine.
• Grade is the grader's assessment of condition under its own standard.
• Market value depends on the exact card, demand, scarcity, language, variation, grader, grade, and current market. A high grade does not guarantee a particular resale value.

Why two identical grades may look different

Grading is a professional opinion made under a company's standards. Cards with the same overall number can have different combinations of centering, corners, edges, surface quality, print defects, and eye appeal. Beckett subgrades or special labels, CGC Pristine labels, and other company-specific designations should be read exactly as printed rather than converted into an assumed PSA equivalent.

Before buying a slab

1. Confirm the card name, set code, card number, language and variation on the label.
2. Confirm the grading company and exact grade. A normal numerical scale ends at the company’s stated maximum; labels such as “10+” should not be assumed unless the grader officially uses that designation.
3. Enter the certification number on the grading company’s official verification website where available.
4. Compare the verification result with the card and label shown in the listing.
5. Inspect the holder for cracks, chips, deep scratches, separation or signs of tampering.
6. Compare price using the same card, language, variation, grader and grade.

Certification verification has limits

A matching certification number is an important check, but it is not a complete guarantee by itself because genuine numbers can be copied. The physical card, holder, label, database entry, listing photographs and seller should make sense together.

Unavailable grader filters

Grading-company buttons are based on slabs currently available in the selected game and category. A grader is disabled or omitted when there are no matching available products. Availability can change as products sell or new stock is synchronized.

Holder condition and returns

The grade evaluates the encapsulated card according to the grading company’s service; it does not necessarily grade the plastic holder. Review listing images and contact us before purchasing if holder condition is important to you. See our Returns page for the applicable process.