Does grading make a card authentic?

Graders do authenticate as part of the process and will flag trimmed, re-coloured or counterfeit cards, but the main product is the condition grade.

Can I crack a slab and re-submit?

Yes — people “crossover” between companies or resubmit hoping for a bump. You pay the full fee again and risk a lower grade.

Why did my Mint-looking card only get a 9?

Almost always centering or a single soft corner you can’t see without a loupe. Surface print lines on holos are another common culprit.

PSA vs BGS vs CGC — which is best?

PSA slabs generally command the highest resale prices for Pokémon; BGS is prized for its sub-grades and Black Label; CGC is often cheaper and faster. Pick based on the card and your goal.

How does card grading work?

What grading is

Grading is a paid service where a third-party company inspects a card, assigns it a numeric condition grade, and seals it in a tamper-evident plastic case (a “slab”) with a label. A high grade on a scarce card can multiply its value several times over; a low grade can leave it worth less than the fee you paid. The big three for Pokémon are PSA, Beckett (BGS) and CGC.

The four things graders judge

A trading card with its corners, edges, surface and borders labelled — Every grade comes down to these four areas. Beckett prints all four as sub-grades; PSA and CGC roll them into one number.

1CenteringHow evenly the artwork sits inside the border, measured front and back as a ratio like 55/45. A perfectly centred card is 50/50. PSA 10 allows roughly 55/45 front / 75/25 back; BGS 10 is much stricter at ~50/50.
2CornersSharpness under magnification. Even a tiny amount of whitening or a soft, rounded point drops the grade. Vintage cards almost always lose points here.
3EdgesChipping, whitening and roughness along the four sides — most visible on dark-bordered cards. Factory cutting can leave one edge weaker than the others.
4SurfaceScratches, print lines, indentations, dimples, holo scuffing and any staining or fingerprints. Print defects from the factory count against surface too.

How centering is measured

Diagram showing the left and right border widths of a card and the resulting centering ratio — Left border ÷ (left + right) gives the horizontal ratio. Do the same top-to-bottom. The worse of the two axes is the one that limits the grade.

PokeHive’s Pre-Grader measures centering from a photo and tells you the highest PSA grade the centering alone would allow — before you spend a penny on submission.

The grading scales

Grade	PSA	BGS (Beckett)	CGC
10	Gem Mint	Pristine 10 / Gem Mint 9.5	Pristine 10 / Gem Mint 10
9	Mint	Mint 9	Mint 9
8	NM–Mint	NM–Mint 8	NM–Mint 8
7	Near Mint	Near Mint 7	Near Mint 7
5–6	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
3–4	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good
1–2	Poor / Fair	Poor / Fair	Poor / Fair

PSA gives one whole number (a half-point “Authentic” aside). Beckett gives a headline grade plus the four sub-grades and reserves “Black Label 10” for a card that is a flawless 10 in all four. CGC sits between the two and calls a perfect card “Pristine 10”.

What the submission process looks like

1Pick a tierCompanies price by the card’s declared value and how fast you want it back. Cheaper “bulk” tiers can take months; express tiers cost many times more.
2Prep & protectEach card goes in a fresh penny sleeve, then a semi-rigid holder (Card Saver I). Never send cards in top-loaders or taped shut.
3Fill in the submissionList every card with its set, number and declared value online, print the form, and pack it with the cards.
4Ship insuredUse a trackable, insured service. The grader logs the cards in on arrival and you can follow each step in your account.
5Grading & slabbingGraders inspect under controlled light and magnification, assign the grade, encapsulate the card and return it.

Declared value matters: it sets the tier price and the insurance cap. Under-declaring to save money means you’re under-insured if the package is lost.

Is it worth grading a given card?

Grade a card when the expected graded price minus the grading fee, shipping and the risk of a low grade still leaves you ahead — or when you simply want it protected. As a rough guide: modern bulk rares are rarely worth it, mid-value holos need a confident Mint-or-better card, and only genuine chase cards justify an express tier. Check recent sold prices for the exact card in PSA 9 and PSA 10 before deciding.

Does grading make a card authentic?: Graders do authenticate as part of the process and will flag trimmed, re-coloured or counterfeit cards, but the main product is the condition grade.
Can I crack a slab and re-submit?: Yes — people “crossover” between companies or resubmit hoping for a bump. You pay the full fee again and risk a lower grade.
Why did my Mint-looking card only get a 9?: Almost always centering or a single soft corner you can’t see without a loupe. Surface print lines on holos are another common culprit.
PSA vs BGS vs CGC — which is best?: PSA slabs generally command the highest resale prices for Pokémon; BGS is prized for its sub-grades and Black Label; CGC is often cheaper and faster. Pick based on the card and your goal.