③What Is ARS Grading? How It Differs from PSA
When looking for graded trading cards, you may come across slabs labeled not only PSA but also “ARS” from time to time.
Their holders have a substantial look built around silver and black, so they may have caught your attention.
Like PSA, ARS is a grading service that authenticates cards and evaluates their condition.
However, ARS differs from PSA in areas such as how grades are assigned, its grading standards, and holder design.
In this article, we explain what ARS grading is and compare it with PSA in a beginner-friendly way.
- What ARS grading is
- How the ARS grading scale works
- ARS certificates and the graded-card search database
- The difference between ARS 10+ and ARS 10
- How ARS differs from PSA
- How to choose between ARS and PSA
What is ARS grading?
ARS is a Japanese grading organization that authenticates and grades trading cards.
Founded in 2020, it was Japan’s first Japan-originated grading organization specializing in TCGs, and one of its features is that the grading service is completed entirely within Japan.
With standard grading, a card submitted to ARS is first authenticated. Its condition is then evaluated and a grade is assigned.
The graded card is encapsulated in ARS’s proprietary protective holder.
ARS is not simply a service that assigns a number to a card.
With standard grading, the service covers authentication, condition evaluation, and encapsulation in a dedicated holder as a graded collectible.
ARS holders are characterized by a thick, highly transparent case and a stainless-steel caption plate engraved with card information and other details.
They look quite different from PSA holders, so the two are relatively easy to distinguish when you see them in person at a card shop or elsewhere.
ARS itself promotes the philosophy “Turn Collections into Art,” and its holder design places importance on enjoying cards visually as display pieces.
ARS can issue a certificate for a graded card on request. A certificate is not automatically included with every ARS-graded card, so whether one is included can be checked as one of the product conditions when buying.
ARS also provides an official graded-card search database where you can check information such as the total number graded, total submissions, and the number of cards at each grade.
How does the ARS grading scale work?
ARS evaluates the condition of cards that pass authentication and assigns a grade.
Representative high grades are shown below.
| Grade | General condition guideline |
|---|---|
| ARS 10+ | Perfect condition |
| ARS 10 | A condition extremely close to perfect |
| ARS 9 | A condition with only a very small amount of fine scratches or staining |
| ARS 8 | A condition with small scratches or stains, or multiple fine scratches or stains |
ARS also uses the designation “AU (Authentic)” for cards that receive authentication only without a numerical grade.
One major difference from PSA is that ARS has a “10+” grade.
PSA’s highest grade is PSA 10, while ARS has Grade 10+ above Grade 10.
ARS explains that only cards in perfect condition receive the 10+ designation.
ARS 10 and ARS 10+ are not the same grade.
Both are extremely high grades, but ARS distinguishes Grade 10+ as being reserved for cards in perfect condition.
For that reason, when searching for ARS-graded cards, you may see both “ARS 10” and “ARS 10+” for the same card.
For collectors seeking cards in especially strong condition, the 10+ grade is one of ARS’s distinctive features.
How do ARS and PSA differ?
ARS and PSA both authenticate and grade cards, but they do not evaluate cards under the same standards.
The main differences can be summarized as follows.
| Comparison item | ARS | PSA |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Japanese grading organization specializing in TCGs | Third-party grading service originating overseas |
| Highest grade | Grade 10+ | PSA 10 |
| Centering | Not subject to deductions | Included in the grading criteria |
| Holder | Thick transparent holder + stainless-steel caption plate, ultrasonically welded | PSA proprietary tamper-evident holder |
| Features | Japan-based end-to-end service and a holder designed with display appeal in mind | Long grading history and widespread use around the world |
One point that is especially important to remember is how centering is treated.
Centering refers to the balance of where the printed artwork is positioned vertically and horizontally on the card.
PSA includes centering as one of its grading criteria.
For example, PSA provides an approximate front-centering guideline of 55/45 or better for PSA 10.
ARS, on the other hand, states that it evaluates preservation condition only and does not deduct for printing misalignment or centering.
This does not mean “ARS is easy because it ignores centering” or “PSA is stricter.”
ARS and PSA simply use different grading standards.
If you submit the same card to ARS and PSA, there is no guarantee that it will receive the same numerical grade from both companies.
For example, imagine a card with significantly off-center printing but otherwise excellent preservation condition.
Centering may affect the PSA grade, whereas ARS does not treat centering itself as a deduction factor.
Conversely, that does not mean it is easy to receive a high grade from ARS.
The easiest way to understand the difference is that each grading company evaluates cards according to its own standards.
“ARS 10+ = higher than PSA 10” is not correct
One point beginners can easily misunderstand is the relationship between ARS 10+ and PSA 10.
Looking only at the numbers, you may think, “Isn’t ARS 10+ higher than PSA 10?”
However, ARS 10+ and PSA 10 are grades assigned by different companies under different standards.
Therefore, ARS 10+ > PSA 10 or PSA 10 > ARS 10 cannot be used as a simple way to rank one above the other.
It is easier to think of ARS 10+ as “the highest grade under ARS standards” and PSA 10 as “the highest grade under PSA standards.”
It is important not to compare grades across companies by the number alone.
ARS itself also explains that because its grading standards differ from those of other companies, a card may receive a different grade when submitted to ARS for a holder-change grading service from another company’s case.
In other words, a PSA 10 is not guaranteed to become ARS 10 or ARS 10+, and the reverse is also true.
The holders are also very different
ARS and PSA differ substantially in the design of the holders used to encapsulate cards.
ARS uses a thick, highly transparent holder with a stainless-steel caption plate.
The caption lists information such as the card name, brand, set, issue year, card number, and rarity, and the design also considers the enjoyment of displaying the card.
ARS also ultrasonically welds the holder and uses features such as the stainless-steel caption plate as part of its measures against counterfeiting and tampering.
PSA likewise encapsulates cards in a dedicated holder after grading.
PSA ultrasonically seals a tamper-evident holder and attaches a label showing information such as the card details, grade, and certification number.
Both are intended to protect the card, but their visual design directions are quite different.
When it comes to holders, personal preference matters greatly rather than one being simply superior to the other.
Some collectors prefer the substantial look of ARS holders, while others prefer PSA’s familiar, simpler cases.
ARS or PSA: which should you choose?
If you plan to submit cards for grading or buy graded cards, which should you choose, ARS or PSA?
The answer depends on what you value most.
If you are submitting cards yourself, fees, estimated turnaround times, and acceptance conditions may change, so check the latest information on each company’s official website before applying.
- Want to use a grading service based in Japan
- Place importance on holder appearance and display appeal
- Want to aim for the ARS 10+ top grade
- Like the design of the stainless-steel caption plate
- Want to use a grading service that is widely used around the world
- Want to collect cards with PSA 10 as a benchmark
- Want to refer to PSA population and transaction data
- Primarily collect PSA-graded cards
Of course, you do not have to choose only one of the two.
You can use them differently according to your own priorities—for example, choosing ARS for display appeal or PSA for its extensive population and market data.
You can also collect ARS-graded and PSA-graded versions of the same card and enjoy displaying them side by side.
Key points to remember about ARS grading
- ARS is a Japan-originated grading organization specializing in TCGs
- It authenticates and grades cards
- It also offers AU (Authentic), which does not assign a numerical grade
- Certificates and an official graded-card search database are available
- ARS has a 10+ grade above Grade 10
- ARS 10+ is the highest grade and is given to cards in perfect condition
- ARS does not deduct for centering
- PSA includes centering in its grading criteria
- ARS and PSA use different grading standards, so their grades cannot be compared directly
- Their holder designs also differ significantly
ARS and PSA are both services that authenticate and evaluate cards so they can be preserved as graded collectibles, but their philosophies and grading standards differ.
In particular, “ARS has a 10+ grade” and “centering is not a deduction factor” are important points to remember when understanding how ARS differs from PSA.
At the same time, you cannot decide whether ARS 10+ or PSA 10 is “higher” by comparing the numbers alone, because each is the highest grade under a different set of standards.
Whether you are buying a graded card or submitting one yourself, understanding the grading standards and holder characteristics—not just which number is higher—will make it easier to build a collection that suits you.