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The following are PSA's Grading System for Trading Cards:
GEM-MT 10: Gem Mint.
A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus
and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made
for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered
on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent
on the reverse.
MINT 9: Mint.
A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: a very slight wax
stain on reverse, a minor printing imperfection or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately
60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
NM-MT 8: Near Mint-Mint.
A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the card
can exhibit the following: a very slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor
printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better
on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
NM 7: Near Mint.
A PSA NM 7 is a card with just a slight surface wear visible upon close inspection. There may be slight fraying
on some corners. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. A minor printing blemish is acceptable. Slight
wax staining is acceptable on the back of the card only. Most of the original gloss is retained. Centering must
be approximately 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
EX-MT 6: Excellent-Mint.
A PSA EX-MT 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which does not detract from its overall appeal.
A very light scratch may be detected only upon close inspection. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. Picture
focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may show some loss of original gloss, may have minor wax stain on reverse,
may exhibit very slight notching on edges and may also show some off-whiteness on borders. Centering must be 80/20
or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
EX 5: Excellent.
Excellent On PSA EX-5 cards, very minor rounding of the corners is becoming evident. Surface wear or printing defects
are more visible. There may be minor chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent. Focus of
picture may be slightly out-of-register. Several light scratches may be visible upon close inspection, but do not
detract from the appeal of the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Centering must be 85/15 or better
on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
VG-EX 4: Very Good-Excellent.
A PSA VG-EX 4 card's corners may be slightly rounded. Surface wear is noticeable but modest. The card may have
light scuffing or light scratches. Some original gloss will be retained. Borders may be slightly off-white. A light
crease may be visible. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
VG 3: Very Good.
A PSA VG 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme. Some surface wear will be apparent, along
with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit noticeable
wear. Much, but not all, of the card's original gloss will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored.
A crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may show on obverse and wax staining on reverse
may be more prominent. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.
GOOD 2: Good.
A PSA Good 2 card's corners show accelerated rounding and surface wear is starting to become obvious. A good card
may have scratching, scuffing, light staining, or chipping of enamel on obverse. There may be several creases.
Original gloss may be completely absent. Card may show considerable discoloration. Centering must be 90/10 or better
on the front and back.
FR 1.5: Fair.
A PSA Fair 1.5 card's corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting framing of the picture. The surface of
the card will show advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. The
picture will possibly be quite out-of-register and the borders may have become brown and dirty. The card may have
one or more heavy creases. In order to achieve a Fair grade, a card must be fully intact. Even though the card
may be heavily worn, it cannot achieve this grade if it is missing solid pieces of the card as a result of a major
tear, etc. This would include damage such as the removal of the back layer of the card or an entire corner. The
centering must be approximately 90/10 or better on the front and back.
PR 1: Poor.
A PSA Poor 1 will exhibit many of the same qualities of a PSA Fair 1.5 but the defects may have advanced to such
a serious stage that the eye-appeal of the card has nearly vanished in its entirety. A Poor card may be missing
one or two small pieces, exhibit major creasing that nearly breaks through all the layers of cardboard or it may
contain extreme discoloration or dirtiness throughout that may make it difficult to identify the issue or content
of the card on either the front or back. A card of this nature may also show noticeable warping or another type
of destructive defect.
QUALIFIERS:
PSA will grade nearly every card submitted. Cards having significant flaws will receive "qualified" grades
as follows:
OC (Off Center):
When the centering of the card falls below the minimum standard for that grade will be designated "OC."
PSA determines centering by comparing the measurements of the borders from left to right and top to bottom. The
centering is designated as the percent of difference at the most off-center part of the card. A 5% leeway is given
to the front centering minimum standards for cards which grade NM 7 or better. For example, a card which meets
all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 60/40 off-center on the front automatically meets the
PSA front centering standards for MINT 9. If a card meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures
65/35 off-center on the front, it may be deemed to meet the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9 if the eye
appeal of the card is good.
ST (Staining):
Cards with staining below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated "ST."
PD (Print Defect):
Cards with significant printing defects will be designated "PD."
OF (Out of Focus):
Cards with focus below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated "OF."
MK (Marks):
Cards with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. will be designated "MK."
MC (Miscut):
Cards with a factory miscut, such as a diamond cut, or when another card's image is on the original card will be
designated "MC."
UNGRADEABLE CARDS:
PSA will not grade cards which bear evidence of trimming, re-coloring, restoration, or any other forms of tampering,
or are of questionable authenticity. In addition, PSA does not grade autographed cards dated earlier than 1998
or any cards manufactured by Star except Star Baseball & 1996 Star Topps (reprint) Basketball Cards; only factory
imprint signatures can be graded. |
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