The PSA Grading Scale Explained: Everything You Need to Know

Sports card collecting is a lot of fun, but can also be complex. One topic that can get complex is sports card grading. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is the industry leader in card grading, and their 10-point scale is the gold standard.

This guide will dive into the PSA grading scale, providing a detailed look at what each grade signifies and the specific characteristics that define a card at each level.

Understanding the Foundation

Before we dive into the specifics, it’s crucial to understand that PSA evaluates cards based on four key factors:

• Surface Condition: This encompasses scratches, print lines, surface wear, and any other imperfections visible on the card’s front and back.
• Centering: How perfectly aligned the card’s image is within the borders.
• Corners: The sharpness and condition of the card’s four corners.
• Edges: The cleanliness and condition of the card’s edges, including any chipping, whitening, or wear.

The PSA Grading Scale: A Detailed Breakdown

PSA 10: Gem Mint (GEM-MT)

This is the holy grail for collectors. A PSA 10 is considered virtually perfect. Imagine a card that appears brand new, with no visible flaws whatsoever.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: Flawless. No scratches, print lines, or any other surface imperfections.
• Centering: Near-perfect. The image is centered within a very tight tolerance (typically 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front and 75/25 percent on the back).
• Corners: Perfectly sharp with no wear or rounding.
• Edges: Clean and free from any chipping, whitening, or wear.

PSA 9: Mint (MINT)

A PSA 9 is a superb card with only the slightest of imperfections. It’s incredibly close to perfect, but not quite flawless.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: May exhibit a very slight wax stain on the reverse, a minor printing imperfection, or slightly off-white borders.
• Centering: Excellent centering, typically within a tolerance of 60/40 to 65/35 percent on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: Sharp with minimal to no wear.
• Edges: Clean with minimal to no wear.

PSA 8: Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT)

A PSA 8 is a high-end card that appears very close to a PSA 9 at first glance. Upon closer inspection, minor flaws become more evident.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: May have a very slight wax stain on the reverse, the slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders.
• Centering: Very good centering, typically within a tolerance of 65/35 to 70/30 percent on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: May have the slightest fraying at one or two corners.
• Edges: Clean with minimal to no wear.

PSA 7: Near Mint (NM)

PSA 7 card exhibits slight surface wear that is noticeable upon close inspection.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: May have slight surface wear, slight fraying on some corners, and a minor printing blemish. Slight wax staining is acceptable on the back.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 70/30 to 75/25 percent on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: May have slight fraying on some corners.
• Edges: Clean with minimal to no wear.

PSA 6: Excellent-Mint (EX-MT)

A PSA 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect, but these flaws do not significantly detract from the card’s overall appeal.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: May have visible surface wear, a very light scratch, minor wax stain on the reverse, and/or very slight notching on the edges.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: May have slightly graduated fraying.
• Edges: May exhibit very slight notching.

PSA 5: Excellent (EX)

At this level, minor rounding of the corners becomes more evident.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: More noticeable surface wear or printing defects. May have minor chipping on the edges. Loss of original gloss is more apparent.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: Very minor rounding of the corners.
• Edges: May have minor chipping.

PSA 4: Very Good-Excellent (VG-EX)

The card shows noticeable wear and tear at this stage.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: Noticeable surface wear, light scuffing, or light scratches.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
• Corners: Slightly rounded corners.
• Edges: May have light scuffing or scratches.

PSA 3: Very Good (VG)

Rounding of the corners is more evident, and surface wear is becoming more pronounced.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: Some surface wear, light scuffing, or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 90/10 or better on the front and back.
• Corners: Some rounding of the corners.
• Edges: Noticeable wear.

PSA 2: Good (GOOD)

The card shows significant signs of wear and tear.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: Scratching, scuffing, light staining, or chipping of the enamel.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 90/10 or better on the front and back.
• Corners: Accelerated rounding of the corners.
• Edges: Noticeable wear.

PSA 1.5: Fair (FR)

The card exhibits significant wear and tear, with extreme wear to the corners.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: Advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping, and staining.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 90/10 or better on the front and back.
• Corners: Extreme wear, possibly affecting the framing of the picture.
• Edges: Significant wear and tear.

PSA 1: Poor (PR)

The card is in very poor condition with significant damage.

Key Characteristics:

• Surface: May be missing small pieces, heavily creased, or severely discolored.
• Centering: Good centering, typically within a tolerance of 90/10 or better on the front and back.
• Corners: May be missing pieces or severely rounded.
• Edges: May be severely damaged.

Factors Influencing Grade

• Centering: This is a critical factor. Even minor misalignment can significantly impact the grade.
• Corners: Sharp corners are highly valued. Any rounding, chipping, or fraying will lower the grade.
• Surface Condition: Scratches, print lines, and other surface imperfections will negatively impact the grade.
• Printing Defects: Minor printing imperfections may be overlooked in higher-grade cards, but they can significantly impact the grade of lower-quality cards.

Conclusion

Understanding the PSA grading scale is crucial for navigating the world of sports card collecting and grading. Check out our in-depth primer into grading sports cards.