How card grading works: PSA, CGC, BGS and SGC
What professional grading is, how the 1–10 scales work, and when grading a Pokémon card is worth it.
Grading means sending a card to an independent company that inspects it, gives it a number from 1 to 10 and seals it in a tamper-evident case (a "slab"). Pokedeck doesn't grade cards; we show prices for cards graded by these companies.
The main grading companies
- PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator): the most common for Pokémon. Whole-number grades plus half grades up to 8.5; no 9.5.
- CGC Cards: half grades up to 9.5, plus CGC 10 Pristine for flawless cards.
- Beckett (BGS): half grades with sub-grades for centering, corners, edges and surface. A Black Label 10 means 10 on every sub-grade.
- SGC: half grades, known for black slabs.
What the numbers mean
- 10 – Gem Mint: flawless to the naked eye, sharp corners, well centered.
- 9 – Mint: one very small flaw.
- 8 – Near Mint–Mint: a small flaw or two, like slight corner wear.
- 7 – Near Mint: light surface wear or slight corner fraying.
- 5–6 – Excellent: visible wear.
- 1–4: heavy wear or damage, but authentic.
The same number can sell for different prices at different companies, so we keep each company's grades separate.
Is grading worth it?
Grading costs money and takes time. It usually makes sense when a card is valuable and in very good condition, because the price gap between a raw card and a high grade can be large. Compare the raw and graded prices on the card's page first.