Pokémon Grading Scale: How to Grade Pokémon Cards for PSA

 Have you ever wondered how to transform your prized collection of Pokémon cards into priceless items with a PSA grade? In actuality, how much is your Pokedex worth? It's a fact that most Pokémon cards aren't worth nearly as much money until they receive the highest possible grade. It might not be worthwhile to send your cards in for a review and rating if you don't think you have a genuine chance of getting a PSA 10 Gem Mint card because grading cards is expensive. 

To help you prepare to submit your cards and your expectations for formal submission to one of the world's premier card quality grading services, we'll dive into Pokémon card grading for PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator).

Why Grade Your Pokémon Cards?​​

Why would you store your priceless cards in a slab that keeps them from being used in a future battle if you are a die-hard Pokémon Trading Card Game fan? The primary goal is to resell them for a profit, but if you are more of a collector than a player, you may also have them graded to safeguard them from harm. In addition, collectors could enjoy having their graded Pokemon cards build an expensive collection of premium cards. 

For any reason, we'll review how PSA evaluates a card for grading and help you know how likely your cards will receive a top-tier grade. The value of most cards will improve significantly with PSA 10 Gem Mint grades, as shown by internet pricing. Because the top grade is so much more valuable than the other grades, many investors and collectors will only submit cards if they can receive a Gem Mint grade.

Understanding the PSA Grading Scale

First things first: PSA grading is comparable to Pokémon Gym's in the card game. Your cards will go through the final examination to demonstrate their worth. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 represents the fabled, unicorn-like "Gem Mint" status. Reaching that grade can be compared to catching a shiny Pokémon. Getting one is highly rewarding and uncommon. A lower rating won't necessarily prevent you from selling cards, but the value decrease is substantial.

Key Factors in Pokémon Card Grading

Card Centering

Does your Pokémon appear to have wandered off to the side of the card, or is it seated in the center of the card? Even with the best efforts of the printers, it is not unusual to find cards that are merely off-center. To make this easier to see, look at the card's boundaries. The symmetry between them should be maintained, although printing mistakes can distort this. The PSA people will check the reverse of the card, so don't forget to do so. You won't even get the PSA 10 rating if there is a centering problem on the card's reverse.

Card Corners

The aim is crisp, unchipped corners. PSA graders will not be kind to you if the corners of your cards appear to have been chewed on. Play, which nearly always hits the corners first, should leave corners clear and undisturbed. You should forego the grading procedure if your corners have damage like this since it will prevent you from receiving a high grade.

Card Edges

Keep an eye out for fraying or bleaching. Points for even the smallest white area might be deducted from the PSA grading system. Ensure no additional damage is visible on the back of the card by thoroughly inspecting the entire thing, including the back.

Card Surface

Fingerprints, scuffs, and scratches won't help you get to Gem Mint status. To make an impression on PSA graders, your card should be free of any stains, discolorations, or lost luster. See the list below for other instances of damage that, based only on the card's surface damage, can disqualify a good score.

Final Thoughts 

It's a fascinating quest that requires patience, attention to detail, and time to grade your Pokémon cards. This approach can greatly increase the likelihood that you will invest in grading cards that will raise the value of your collection if you follow our recommendations. We think this information can help you aim more precisely for PSA 10s, whether that means selling them for a profit or just helping preserve your priceless possessions.