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Whether you're submitting to PSA, BGS, SGC, or TAG — getting a Gem Mint 10 requires more than luck.

 

This guide walks you through every component of grading, what to look for, and how to prepare your cards like a pro.

Grading Tips: How to Prep Your Cards for the Highest Grades

Overview of the 4 Main Grading Components

Example of perfect 10

Scanned & Centered with CenterGrade

Verified Accuracy: 98.7%

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Trading Card Grading Criteria

⬇️ Want to know if your card is grade-worthy?[Start a Free Scan]

1. Centering

The Hidden Grade Killer

What to Look For:

 

  • The image must be centered relative to the card borders.​

  • PSA requires 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 on the back for a Gem Mint 10.

How to Check It:

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  • Manually? Use a ruler, digital overlay, or eye test (inaccurate).​

  • Or use CenterGrade to instantly get your card’s centering percentages - accurate to the decimal.

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🧠 Cards with 60/40 centering or worse can’t get a PSA 10 —even if

everything else is          flawless.

Centering examples
Corner issue on card

2. Corners

What to Look For:

  • All four corners should be sharp and symmetrical.​​

  • Watch for whitening, bends, or lifted layers.

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Pro Tip:

  • Use a magnifying glass or phone zoom under good lighting.​

  • Place cards into sleeves gently to avoid dings.

3. Edges

What to Look For:

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  • Clean, straight edges with no chipping or wear.

  • Whitening or peeling kills your score, especially on colored borders.

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Prep Tips:

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  • Use semi-rigid holders (like Card Savers) during storage and shipping.

  • Avoid placing tape or stickers on card savers.

Edge issue on card
Surface issue on card

4. Surface

What to Look For:

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  • Scratches, dents, dimples, print lines, ink flaws.

  • Surface is one of the hardest things to clean or improve — handle carefully.

Prep Tips:

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  • Use a microfiber cloth to lightly wipe before sleeving.

  • Examine under angled light to catch imperfections invisible from head-on.

How to Prepare Your Card for Grading

The Grading Prep Checklist

✅ Wash hands before handling

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✅ Use sleeves + semi-rigid holders

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✅ Double-check for visible flaws under lighting

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✅ Never over-handle cards

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✅ Use CenterGrade to verify centering before         submission

Why Centering Should Be Your First Step

Most grading companies won’t tell you why your card didn’t grade a 10.

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CenterGrade shows you immediately:

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  • Whether your card meets PSA/TAG centering standards

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  • Where the alignment is off

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  • Whether it's worth submitting — or better to sell raw

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Save grading fees. Make smarter decisions.


Get 3 AI scans free and know your odds before you submit.

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