Comparative Analysis

The Conversion Matrix

How do standards align across the industry's top grading houses? Use our technical matrix to identify potential crossover candidates.

Target Grade	PSA	BGS	CGC	SGC
Pristine / Black Label Representing absolute perfection across 100% of visible surfaces.	n/a	10 Black Label (10 on all subgrades)	10 Pristine	10 Gold Label
Gem Mint Allowing for micro-flaws only visible under 10x magnification.	10 Gem Mint	9.5 Gem Mint (Classic) / 10 Gem Mint	10 Gem Mint	10 Gem Mint
Mint Generally allows for one minor white speck on a corner or slight surface wax.	9 Mint	9 Mint	9 Mint	9 Mint
Near Mint-Mint Visual flaws like slight edge chipping or 65/35 centering become identifiable to the naked eye.	8 NM-MT	8.5 NM-MT+	8.5 NM-MT+	8.5 NM/MT+

Crossover Strategy

When considering a crossover from BGS to PSA, attention must be paid to the subgrades. A BGS 9.5 with a 9.0 centering subgrade is a low-probability candidate for a PSA 10, despite the Gem Mint title.

Technical Nuance

CGC's new grading standard has aligned more closely with PSA's numerical scale, making the conversion between these two houses more direct than in previous years.