Understanding Grading Scores: Centering, Surface, Corners, Edges
A breakdown of the four criteria behind a grading score, and why a single flaw can cap everything else.
An overall grading score (say, PSA 9) summarizes four distinct criteria, each assessed independently before rolling up into a single number. Understanding these criteria helps you anticipate the outcome before you submit a card.
Centering
Centering measures the balance of margins between the printed artwork and the card’s edge, front and back. A 55/45 split is generally still considered excellent, while 70/30 or worse heavily penalizes the score, even if the card is otherwise flawless.
Corners
All four corners are examined under magnification for any crushing, rounding, or fraying of the cardstock. A single slightly worn corner can be enough to drop a card from a 9 to a 7 or 8.
Surface
The surface is checked under multiple light angles to spot scratches, indentations, ink spots, or handling marks. This is often the most sensitive criterion on holo cards, where even a tiny scratch becomes visible under certain lighting.
Edges
Edges are checked for evenness and the absence of visible whitening (the inner cardstock becoming visible from imprecise cutting or wear). A slightly chipped edge lowers the score even if the rest of the card is perfect.
Why the weakest criterion often drives the final grade
Most grading scales weight the worst-performing criterion heavily: a card with perfect centering and a flawless surface, but a visibly worn corner, generally can’t exceed the grade capped by that one flaw.
Anticipating your grade before you submit
Our valuation report includes a read on all four of these criteria from your photos, giving you a realistic sense of the likely grade before you commit to the cost of an official submission. See also our PSA, CGC, BGS comparison for each service’s exact scale.
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