Card Grading Scale Reference

Complete comparison of PSA, BGS, CGC, and SGC grading scales

Universal Grade Scale (1-10)

10

Gem Mint

9

Mint

8

NM-MT

7

Near Mint

6

EX-MT

5

Excellent

4

VG-EX

3

Very Good

2

Good

1

Poor

Grade Comparison by Company

Grade	PSA	BGS	CGC	SGC	TAG
10 - Gem Mint	GEM-MT 10	Pristine 10 (Black Label)	Pristine 10 / Gem Mint 10	Pristine 10 / GEM 10	Pristine 10 / Gem Mint 10
9.5 - Gem Mint	N/A	Gem Mint 9.5	Mint+ 9.5	Mint+ 9.5	N/A
9 - Mint	MINT 9	Mint 9	Mint 9	MINT 9	Mint 9
8.5 - NM-MT+	N/A	NM-MT+ 8.5	NM/Mint+ 8.5	NM/MT+ 8.5	NM/MT+ 8.5
8 - NM-MT	NM-MT 8	NM-MT 8	NM/Mint 8	NM/MT 8	NM/MT 8
7 - Near Mint	NM 7	NM 7	Near Mint 7	NM 7	NM 7
6 - EX-MT	EX-MT 6	EX-MT 6	EX/NM 6	EX/NM 6	EX/NM 6
5 - Excellent	EX 5	EX 5	Excellent 5	EX 5	EX 5
4 - VG-EX	VG-EX 4	VG-EX 4	VG/EX 4	VG/EX 4	VG/EX 4
3 - Very Good	VG 3	VG 3	Very Good 3	VG 3	VG 3
2 - Good	GOOD 2	G 2	Good 2	GOOD 2	Good 2
1 - Poor	PR 1	PR 1	Poor 1	PR 1	Poor 1

The Grader's Rubric: Forensic Limits

Professional grading is not subjective; it is a subtraction game. You start at 10. Every flaw subtracts points. Below are the maximum allowable tolerances for each grade tier.

Grade	Corners (Magnification 10x)	Surface & Edges	Centering (Front/Back)
10 Gem Mint	Perfection Required. Four sharp corners. No whitening visible even under 10x loop.	Zero print lines. Zero scratches. Original gloss intact.	PSA: 55/45 to 60/40 BGS: 50/50 (Strict) Tilt must be undetectable.
9 Mint	One minor flaw allowed. Example: One corner with microscopic fraying (visible only at 10x).	Minor print imperfection (e.g., small fish-eye). Slight wax stain on reverse (Vintage).	PSA: 60/40 to 65/35 BGS: 55/45 allowed
8 NM-MT	Fraying Visible. 1-2 corners show slight whitening to naked eye.	Minor surface scratch visible continuously. Slight metallic chipping on edges (Chrome).	PSA: 65/35 to 70/30 BGS: 60/40 Diamond cut evident.
7 Near Mint	Wear on 3-4 corners. Slight rounding permitted. No layering/peeling.	Noticeable print spots. Minor wax staining on front. Surface wear affects gloss.	PSA: 70/30 to 75/25 Image clearly misaligned.
6 Excellent	Fuzzy Corners. Rounding is obvious. Layering may be starting.	Surface Wrinkle: Permitted if it does not break surface paper. Significant edge chipping.	PSA: 80/20 Border may be razor thin on one side.
1-4 Player Grade	Heavy Rounding. Creased corners.	Paper Loss: Automatic PSA 1. Creases: Full creases across card = PSA 1-3. Pinholes: Automatic PSA 1.	May be Miscut (MC). Portion of next card visible.

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