①What Is PSA Grading? An Easy-to-Understand Guide for Beginners
On flea-market apps and at card shops, “PSA 10” and “PSA-graded cards” are terms you may have seen. Especially with high-value cards, PSA-graded cards may trade for more than ungraded copies.
If you have only recently started collecting cards, however, it may be hard to understand what PSA actually is or what makes a PSA 10 different.
In this article, we explain the basics of PSA grading, what the grades mean, and the benefits of grading in a way that is easy for beginners to understand.
- What PSA grading is
- What numbers such as PSA 10 and PSA 9 mean
- The main benefits of using PSA grading
- What to look for when viewing PSA-graded cards
The basic PSA grading process (very roughly)
What is PSA grading?
PSA stands for Professional Sports Authenticator, a third-party grading service that authenticates and evaluates the condition of trading cards and other collectibles.
When you submit a card to PSA, it is first authenticated. Cards judged genuine are then assigned a grade based on their condition.
After grading is complete, the card is sealed in a transparent holder together with a label showing information such as the card name, card number, and grade. A card in this state is called a “PSA-graded card”.
You may look at a card yourself and think, “This is extremely clean, so it is in excellent condition,” but that judgment can vary from person to person.
PSA grading provides an evaluation under a standardized third-party framework, making it one useful reference point when judging a card’s condition.
Each graded card is also assigned a unique certification number. By checking PSA’s records, you can confirm the card and grade registered to that number.
However, the fact that a certification number matches PSA’s official records does not by itself guarantee that the physical item in front of you is genuine.
When buying an expensive card, simply understanding how this system works can provide one additional point of reassurance.
How are PSA grades determined?
PSA evaluates card condition on a grade scale from 1 to 10.
The highest grade on that scale is PSA 10.
| Grade | Name | General condition guideline |
|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | GEM MINT | A condition close to virtually perfect, with almost no noticeable scratches or defects |
| PSA 9 | MINT | A very clean condition, though there may be extremely minor scratches or printing imperfections |
| PSA 8 | NM-MT | A clean condition, though minor scratches or wear to the corners or edges may be present |
PSA 10 is known as “GEM MINT” and is awarded to cards in exceptionally good condition. PSA 9 and PSA 8 follow below it.
Grading does not look only at scratches on the card’s surface.
- The four corners
- The edges
- The surface condition
- The balance of the print position (centering)
The final grade is determined after evaluating several factors like these.
As a result, a card that looks extremely clean at first glance can still receive a PSA 9 or PSA 8. Fine details you did not notice yourself may affect the grade.
Buying a card described by a shop as “no scratches” does not mean it will receive PSA 10, and neither does opening a card straight from a pack.
Small condition differences can arise during manufacturing, cutting, and printing. Even a freshly opened card is not guaranteed to receive the highest grade.
Even if a card looks clean, it is not guaranteed to receive PSA 10. This is an important point to understand from the start.
That uncertainty is part of what makes PSA grading both interesting and challenging.
What are the benefits of PSA grading?
One major benefit of using PSA grading is having the card’s condition evaluated by a third party.
With an ungraded card, descriptions such as “mint” or “minor scratches” can be based on different standards depending on the seller.
A PSA-graded card, on the other hand, carries a common grade such as PSA 10 or PSA 9, which provides one reference point when comparing condition.
Even for the same card, transaction prices can vary substantially between grades such as PSA 10, PSA 9, and PSA 8.
Another benefit is that the card is sealed in a dedicated holder after grading, which can make it easier to store as part of a collection.
For collectors who want to keep favorite cards for a long time, being able to display and enjoy them in holders can also be appealing.
In addition, if only a small number of copies have been graded PSA 10, the card may trade for more than an ungraded copy or a PSA 9 when other factors such as popularity and demand also support the price.
However, this does not mean that every PSA 10 is expensive. Prices vary greatly depending on the card’s popularity, scarcity, demand, supply, and other factors.
The grade is an important factor when considering a card’s value, but it is easier to understand the market if you treat it as just one of several factors.
What should you know when looking at PSA-graded cards?
When looking at PSA-graded cards, it is also important not to judge by the grade alone.
For example, even cards with the same PSA 10 grade can have very different market prices.
In addition to the card’s inherent scarcity and popularity, it is also worth checking how many copies have been graded PSA 10.
PSA provides data called the “Population Report,” which shows how many copies of each card have been graded at each grade level. In Japan, this may also be referred to as the number of graded copies or the PSA population.
However, a low population does not automatically mean a high price.
If demand is low, the price may not rise. Conversely, even a card with a large graded population can trade at a high price if it is extremely popular.
When evaluating the market for a PSA-graded card, it is important to consider grade, popularity, scarcity, population, and actual transaction prices together.
For that reason, when assessing a PSA-graded card’s value, checking not only its grade but also how popular the card is and what prices it has recently traded at can make the market easier to understand.
This site also publishes transaction prices and market information by PSA grade, focusing mainly on Old Relief cards. Once you understand how PSA grading works, looking at actual transaction data can make the price differences between grades on the same card easier to grasp.
Key points to remember about PSA grading
- PSA evaluates card condition and other factors on a scale from 1 to 10
- PSA 10 is PSA’s highest grade
- A clean-looking card is not guaranteed to receive PSA 10
- Transaction prices can vary depending on the grade
- A card’s value is not determined by the grade alone
PSA grading is a service in which a third party authenticates and evaluates trading cards, assigning a grade from 1 to 10 according to condition.
PSA 10 is the highest grade, but a card is not guaranteed to receive PSA 10 simply because it looks clean.
A card’s value is also not determined by the PSA 10 label alone. Popularity, scarcity, population, actual transaction prices, and many other factors can affect the price.
It may feel a little complicated at first, but remembering that “the PSA number is one standard for expressing a card’s condition” will make graded cards easier to understand when you look at them.