The PSA Grading Scale Explained for Pokémon Cards
PSA grades cards from 1 to 10, with 10 the best. Each number has a name and a definition, and the gap between neighbouring grades can be worth a lot of money.
Facts checked October 8, 2026 · 4 min read
The scale
| Grade | Name |
|---|---|
| 10 | Gem Mint |
| 9 | Mint |
| 8 | Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) |
| 7 | Near Mint (NM) |
| 6 | Excellent-Mint (EX-MT) |
| 5 | Excellent (EX) |
| 4 | Very Good-Excellent (VG-EX) |
| 3 | Very Good (VG) |
| 2 | Good |
| 1.5 | Fair |
| 1 | Poor |
What PSA looks at
PSA standards cover corners, edges, surface, gloss, print quality, staining and centering, plus overall eye appeal. Centering is the easiest to measure at home, but it is only one of several things that can hold a card back.
Half points
PSA can award half points to cards that sit at the high end of a grade, for example a strong 8 becoming an 8.5. There is no PSA 9.5: the scale goes from 9 straight to 10.
Authentic and Authentic Altered
PSA authenticates a card before grading it. A card that is genuine but not eligible for a numeric grade can be returned as Authentic. Authentic Altered means PSA found evidence the card was altered. Neither label carries a condition number.
Before you submit
Price the card at the grade you realistically expect and one grade lower, then compare that with selling raw. The Cardmatic grading calculator does the math, and a Condition report helps you judge the card from your photos. Neither replaces a grade from PSA.
Put it into practice
Cardmatic scans your cards, tracks their value and helps you decide what to grade. The Free plan needs no credit card.