How Does Trading Card Grading Work? PSA and CGC Explained

A grading company first checks that a card is authentic, then gives it a grade on a 10-point scale and seals it in a labeled case. PSA and CGC both grade trading card games this way. The grade reflects centering, corners, edges and surface: a 10 is essentially perfect, and CGC’s top Pristine 10 must be flawless under 10x magnification.

Grading is for cards worth protecting and proving, not for bulk. This page sticks to what the grading companies publish about their own process.

Step 1: authentication

PSA says grading “can only take place after a trading card has been deemed authentic.” A card that fails authentication, or shows signs of alteration, is not given a number. PSA’s no-grade codes include evidence of trimming (N1), evidence of restoration (N2) and evidence of recoloration (N3).

Step 2: the grade

PSA describes grading as assessing a card’s quality and condition on its 10-point scale. Its “Get Started” page tells collectors to examine everything from the surface to the edges, and to ask whether the image is centered.

PSA has also used half grades on trading cards since February 1, 2008. Its grading standards add that a small centering variance may be allowed, at the grader’s sole discretion, based on the card’s overall eye appeal.

How the top grades are defined

CGC says its 10-point scale covers TCGs, sports cards and non-sports cards, and that its older Gem Mint 9.5 grade became Gem Mint 10 under the updated scale.

How to read a grade label

A graded card comes back sealed in a hard plastic holder with a label. The number on it is the grade, and both companies’ scales top out at 10. A few things to know when you read one:

• Half grades. PSA has used half grades on trading cards since February 1, 2008, so you may see an 8.5 or a 9.5 rather than whole numbers only.
• Two kinds of 10 at CGC. A CGC Pristine 10 and a CGC Gem Mint 10 are different grades with different labels; the Pristine label is reserved for cards that are flawless under 10x magnification.
• Older CGC labels. CGC says its legacy Gem Mint 9.5 became Gem Mint 10 under its updated scale, so an older label and a newer one can describe the same standard with different numbers.
• No number at all. A PSA label with a code such as N1, N2 or N3 means the card was not given a numeric grade, for evidence of trimming, restoration or recoloration.

Is it worth grading?

Grading costs money and time, so it suits a few chosen cards rather than a whole collection. A card is a better candidate when:

1. It is genuine and you want proof of that for a sale or trade.
2. It looks close to perfect: well-centered, sharp corners, clean edges and no surface marks.
3. You want it sealed against handling for the long term.

A card with an obvious crease or a soft corner will not reach the top grades, by the companies’ own definitions. Keep that card in a toploader instead.

Step 3: packing a card to send

PSA’s shipping guide sets out the order: put each card in a penny sleeve, slide it into a semi-rigid holder, and do not use toploaders, tape, pull tabs or sticky notes. Standard-card semi-rigid holders must measure 3 5/16 x 4 7/8 inches, and PSA warns that solid or opaque sleeves can cause delays.

Semi-rigid card holders

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Before and after grading

Keep a card you might grade in a penny sleeve and toploader until you send it. If you are unsure a card is genuine, our guide on how to tell if Pokemon cards are fake covers the checks, and a grader authenticates it anyway. For everything else, see how to protect trading cards.

Penny sleeves

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