Grading standards

Graded cards are authenticated and sealed in a protective slab by a third-party grading company. PSA 10 comps in our grading play table refer to slabs graded by PSA unless noted otherwise.

Supported grading companies

Our research focuses on PSA 10 liquidity. Other graders may trade at different premiums:

• PSA — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.
• CGC — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.
• BGS — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.
• TAG — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.
• ACE — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.
• PCG — include company name, numeric grade, and certification number when comparing comps.

Grade scale overview

Most grading companies use a 1 to 10 scale, often with half-point increments. Higher grades indicate better centering, corners, edges, and surface quality.

• 10 / Gem Mint: virtually flawless under grading company standards.
• 9.5 to 9: excellent condition with only minor flaws.
• 8 to 8.5: strong condition with light visible wear or imperfections.
• 7 and below: noticeable wear; still slabbed and authenticatable.

Each company applies its own standards. A PSA 9 and a CGC 9 may not look identical in hand — use the grader that matches your target buyer pool.

Raw vs graded comps

NM raw prices reflect ungraded Near Mint copies. PSA 10 prices reflect graded slabs. Net play is the spread between those two markets minus all-in submission cost.