The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), the world’s largest third-party authentication company, is widely known to avid sports card collectors for grading sports cards.
With the growing need to authenticate sports cards, prevent the fraudulent sale, and ensure sellers get value for their cards, the PSA grading services have been critical to the sports card collection hobby.
Despite the immense role PSA plays in sports card sales, the idea that your card, which may be worth a fortune lay in the hands of a third-party, can discourage some sellers from using PSA grading services.
Hence, the reason for this article.
We’ll give important reasons why PSA grading services have to be used on sports card sales.
But before we delve into that, here’s what you need to know about grading services.
In grading a card, various levels are assigned to the card based on the card’s condition.
A card in excellent condition gets assigned one of the highest grading Levels, and thus it’s most likely to cost more than other cards in a less attractive state.
Though a card’s condition affects its value, you should note that a card’s demand is the primary determinant of a card’s value.
PSA Grading Levels
MINT or MT (PSA 9 or SGC 96)
This level is assigned to a card in perfect condition.
The card will look very neat, clean.
The card will be free of stain, creases, bends, and any flaws on both the front and back.
The corner of the card and its edges will have to be clean and sharp.
The card’s image will have to be centered within the card’s borders at a ratio of 55/45.
Near Mint to Mint or NM/MT (PSA 8 or SGC 88)
A card in this condition may appear to be a PSA 9 or SGC 96 card, but you may detect flaws upon careful observation.
There may be little wear on the corner of the card and an issue with centering, which is not to be more than a ratio of 60/40.
Despite that, the card should not have stains, bends, creases, or surface flaws on both the back and front.
Near Mint or NM (PSA 7 or SGC 84)
You may mistake a card in this condition for a new card.
But upon observation, issues with print and colors, you may notice fuzzy corners.
Centering would have to be no worse than 65/35.
Excellent to Mint or EX/MT (PSA 6 or SGC 80)
This level is the level—the most higher-grade vintage card is graded.
The card may have print and color issues, a slightly out-of-focus image, and fuzzy corners.
The centering of the card would be around 70/30.
Excellent or EX (PSA 5 or SGC 60)
This is the level most vintage cards are graded.
Cards graded in this condition have surface gloss and light wear, which may cause rounding.
The card will have a centering around 75/25.
Very Good to Excellent or VG/EX (PSA 4 or SGC 50)
Cards graded VG/EX have creasing, which may be light or minor on the card’s reverse.
The centering of the card would be around 80/20.
Cards with wax stains and print issues are usually at this level.
Very Good or VG (PSA 3 or SGC 40)
This grading is for cards with strong creases and wrinkles.
The card may also have moderate wear and will have to be rounded.
A card with string creases would be graded a VG, no matter how well it excels in other aspects.
Good or GD (PSA 2 or SGC 30)
A card in this condition would have a slight tear on the edges, several creases, residue of tape on the reverse, as well as rounded corners with a significant amount of wear.
Any card with a ruffle that breaks the surface on the back or front would not be graded higher than this level.
Poor or PR (PSA 1 or SGC 10)
Any card graded would have lots of issues at this level.
These issues have to do with tears in the card, stains, pencil or ink marks, rack or pinholes, creases, and heavy wear.
Now that we know PSA’s grading levels let’s delve into why you shouldn’t hold back from using the renowned grading service provider.
Video: PSA Card Grading Tips
