8 min read · 3 April 2026
The PSA grading scale, explained: from PSA 1 to gem mint 10
PSA grades on a 1–10 scale where every point matters more than the last. The difference between a PSA 9 and a PSA 10 on a chase card can be 3–5× the resale value, even though both are described as “mint” to the casual eye.
The scale at a glance
- PSA 10 - Gem Mint. Virtually flawless. 4 sharp corners. Centring 55/45 or better. No noticeable scratches or print defects.
- PSA 9 - Mint. One minor flaw allowed. Centring up to 60/40.
- PSA 8 - Near Mint–Mint. Slight scuffs / centring up to 65/35 / minor surface scratches.
- PSA 7 - Near Mint. Visible wear - minor scratches, off-centre up to 70/30.
- PSA 6 - Excellent–Mint. Multiple surface flaws / corner wear / heavy centring issues.
- PSA 5 - Excellent.
- PSA 4 - Very Good–Excellent.
- PSA 3 - Very Good.
- PSA 2 - Good.
- PSA 1 - Poor.
Why PSA 10 is so much rarer than 9
A PSA 10 requires everything to be near-perfect. Centring, corners, edges, surface, and print. Modern Pokemon cards from machine cuts often arrive with one minor centring or edge issue, which silently drops you from 10 to 9. That single flaw can mean the difference between $250 and $45 on a chase card.
Centring thresholds (front face)
PSA publishes the following centring thresholds for the front of the card:
- PSA 10: 55/45 or better on both axes.
- PSA 9: up to 60/40 on each axis.
- PSA 8: up to 65/35.
- PSA 7: up to 70/30.
Back centring follows the same rules but with looser thresholds (typically one band more forgiving than the front).
What sub-graders actually look at
Sub-graders assess four sub-grades - centring, corners, edges, surface - and the overall grade is roughly the weakest of the four. A card with a perfect surface but soft corners will grade as the corners suggest.
Pop reports and rarity
For every card, PSA publishes a pop report - how many copies have been graded at each level. Popular chase cards from modern Pokemon sets often have PSA 10 populations of 50%+ of submissions; vintage cards from Base Set are far harder to gem.
Practical takeaway
- If your card is borderline 9/10, it's often worth submitting because the upside is multiplicative.
- If your card is borderline 8/9, the uplift over raw is usually marginal after fees.
- PSA 6 and below are almost never profitable to submit on modern cards.