PSA Card Centering Requirements 3

Question 1

Which direction of centering deviation is typically considered more impactful on collector value?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the specific card design and how borders frame the primary image

Answer

The visual impact of centering deviation depends on the specific card design. For some cards, left/right deviation is more noticeable; for others, top/bottom deviation more significantly disrupts the design.

Question 2

A card has perfect 50/50 centering on the front but 80/20 centering on the back. What PSA grade can it achieve?

Accepted Answer

PSA 6 at best, since back centering fails the PSA 7 standard

Answer

PSA evaluates centering on both front AND back. With 80/20 back centering, the card fails PSA 7 standards and a grade of approximately PSA 6 is the best achievable.

Question 3

Why do some collectors specifically seek out OC designated cards?

Accepted Answer

OC cards sell at a discount to non-OC examples of the same grade, offering value for collectors who prioritize other attributes over centering

Answer

Because OC cards trade at discounts to standard versions of the same grade, value-focused collectors can acquire cards in the same numeric grade at lower cost, accepting the centering trade-off.

Question 4

What happens to centering standards when PSA grades a tall boy format card?

Accepted Answer

PSA applies the standard percentage rules but the visual impact of deviation varies with the card's aspect ratio

Answer

PSA applies the same percentage-based centering standards to tall boy and other non-standard format cards, but the visual impact of deviation varies with the card's aspect ratio.

Question 5

On a card with a full-bleed design (no white borders), how does PSA assess centering?

Accepted Answer

PSA measures alignment of the image relative to the card edges and any design elements that should be centered

Answer

For full-bleed cards without traditional white borders, PSA assesses centering by evaluating the alignment of the image composition and key design elements relative to the card edges.

PSA - Professional Sports Authenticator Practice Test

PSA - Professional Sports Authenticator Practice Test

PSA Card Centering Requirements 3