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PSA uses a 1-10 grading scale to evaluate card condition. Each grade reflects specific standards for centering, corners, edges, and surface quality. Understanding these grades helps you make smarter buying, selling, and grading decisions.
Click any grade to see detailed condition requirements, value impact, FAQs, and common misconceptions.
Gem Mint
PSA 10 is the highest grade a card can receive.
Learn more →Mint
PSA 9 represents a near-perfect card with one minor flaw that prevents it from achieving Gem Mint status.
Learn more →NM-MT (Near Mint-Mint)
PSA 8 describes a card that is near mint to mint with very slight wear visible only on close inspection.
Learn more →NM (Near Mint)
PSA 7 is a near mint card with minor wear that is slightly more visible than a PSA 8.
Learn more →EX-MT (Excellent-Mint)
PSA 6 is an excellent to mint condition card with visible wear but still an attractive overall appearance.
Learn more →EX (Excellent)
PSA 5 is an excellent condition card with moderate wear visible across multiple areas.
Learn more →VG-EX (Very Good-Excellent)
PSA 4 is a very good to excellent card with obvious wear visible at arm's length.
Learn more →VG (Very Good)
PSA 3 is a very good condition card with heavy wear clearly visible.
Learn more →Good
PSA 2 is a good condition card with extreme wear across all areas.
Learn more →Poor
PSA 1 is the lowest numerical grade, indicating a card in poor condition with heavy damage.
Learn more →The difference between grades can mean thousands of dollars. Understanding the value curve helps you decide which cards deserve professional grading.
The gap between PSA 9 and PSA 10 is typically the largest value difference on the entire scale. A PSA 10 can be worth 2-10x more than a PSA 9 for popular cards. For rare vintage cards, this multiplier can exceed 50x. This is because PSA 10 represents the top 2-5% of all submissions.
For vintage cards from the 1950s-1990s, PSA 7 and 8 represent excellent condition that is achievable without paying the extreme premium of PSA 9-10. Many vintage collectors target this range for the best balance of condition and affordability.
For cards grading PSA 4 and below, the primary value of grading is authentication rather than condition premium. Only rare, high-value vintage cards benefit from grading at these levels. Modern cards at PSA 4 or below are typically worth less slabbed than raw.
AI pre-screening analyzes centering, corners, edges, and surface condition to predict your likely PSA grade. Stop guessing and start submitting only your best cards.
The PSA grading scale ranges from 1 to 10, where PSA 1 (Poor) is the lowest numerical grade and PSA 10 (Gem Mint) is the highest. Each grade represents a specific condition standard based on centering, corners, edges, and surface quality. PSA is the most widely recognized third-party card grading service.
PSA 10 (Gem Mint) is virtually perfect. PSA 9 (Mint) has one minor flaw. PSA 8 (NM-MT) shows very slight wear. PSA 7 (NM) has minor visible wear. PSA 6 (EX-MT) shows noticeable wear but remains attractive. PSA 5 (EX) has moderate wear. PSA 4-1 show progressively more significant wear and damage.
PSA evaluates four key areas: centering (how well the image is centered on the card), corners (sharpness and condition of all four corners), edges (smoothness and absence of chipping or whitening), and surface (print quality, scratches, staining, and original gloss). The overall grade reflects the combined assessment of all four areas.
For modern cards, PSA 8 (NM-MT) or higher is considered good. For vintage cards (pre-1980), PSA 5-6 is considered respectable, and PSA 7-8 is excellent. PSA 9-10 is the ideal for any card, but achieving these grades is harder for older cards due to age and manufacturing quality.
The impact varies dramatically by card and grade. A PSA 10 can be worth 2-10x or more than a PSA 9. For vintage cards, the jump from PSA 7 to PSA 8 can double or triple the value. Below PSA 5, the grade mainly provides authentication value rather than a condition premium for most cards.
You can estimate by carefully evaluating centering, corners, edges, and surface condition. AI pre-screening tools like CardGrade.io analyze these factors and predict a likely grade range, helping you decide which cards are worth the cost of professional grading.