Is your card worth grading?

Measure the centering from a photo and work out whether a PSA 10 makes you money or costs you. For Pokémon, Magic, One Piece, Lorcana and Yu-Gi-Oh!

Your photo never leaves your device: it is measured in your browser. It is only sent if you ask us to recognise the card.

What PSA looks at before giving a grade

PSA scores four things: centering, corners, edges and surface. The last three need a loupe and good light; centering, on the other hand, can be measured precisely before you send the card, and it is the most common reason a flawless card ends up a 9.

That's why it's the first check: if the centering won't make a 10, you already know the grade has a ceiling.

The centering PSA requires for each grade

The percentage is the larger border against the smaller one, on each axis. The front is far stricter than the back.

PSA 10 Gem Mint — Front 55/45 · Back 75/25

PSA 9 Mint — Front 60/40 · Back 90/10

PSA 8 NM-MT — Front 65/35 · Back 90/10

PSA 7 NM — Front 70/30 · Back 90/10

PSA 6 EX-MT — Front 80/20 · Back 90/10

PSA 5 EX — Front 85/15 · Back 90/10

Source: grading standards published by PSA. They can change: check them before you send. BGS and CGC use their own scales and ask for practically 50/50 for their "Pristine" 10.

When grading pays off and when it does not

Grading costs money and time: the fee, insured shipping and weeks or months of waiting. It only pays off when the gap between the graded card and the raw card covers that cost with room to spare.

This page uses today's market price from our catalogue for the raw card and asks you for the graded one, because that has to come from recent sold listings, not asking prices.

Frequently asked questions

What centering does a card need for a PSA 10?

According to the standards PSA publishes, 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the back. A card at 56/44 cannot go above a 9 on centering, however perfect it is otherwise.

Can you measure centering from a phone photo?

Yes, as long as the photo is straightened before measuring. The tool corrects the perspective, which is what makes a slightly tilted photo look off-centre, and finds the borders by itself. With a straight-on photo in good light the reading is within ±1-2 points; if you're right on the line, a scan is more reliable.

How is centering calculated?

You measure each side's border, from the card's edge to the frame. Left/right is the left border divided by the sum of both: if the left one is 2.2 mm and the right one 1.8 mm, that's 55/45. Top/bottom works the same way, and the worse of the two axes is what counts.

When is it worth grading a card?

When its graded value clearly beats its raw value plus the cost of grading (fee, shipping and insurance). The grade isn't guaranteed, so you need a cushion: if the deal only works with a 10, a 9 can leave you out of pocket.

Does it work for borderless (full art) cards?

Only partly. A borderless card has no clear frame to measure and PSA judges its centering by the print. The tool will try, but adjust the lines by hand and treat the result as a guide.

Do you keep my photos?

No. The photo is measured in your browser and isn't uploaded to any server. Only if you press “Recognise the card” while signed in is it sent to identify the card, and it isn't stored. And if you search for the card by name, we look up our catalogue with what you type.