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

Top/bottom centering is always more important

Answer

Left/right centering is always more important

Answer

Both directions are weighted equally

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 10, since front centering is perfect

Answer

PSA 9, since the front meets requirements

Answer

PSA 8, since only front centering is strictly evaluated

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

OC cards are always graded higher than their true condition

Answer

OC cards cannot be re-submitted for a higher grade

Answer

OC cards always have better surface quality than standard graded cards

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

Tall boy cards are excluded from PSA grading

Answer

Tall boy cards are always graded as OC regardless of centering

Answer

PSA uses absolute millimeter measurements instead of percentages for tall boys

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

Full-bleed cards are exempt from centering assessment

Answer

Centering is irrelevant for full-bleed designs

Answer

Full-bleed cards automatically receive OC qualifiers

Question 6

Why is left-to-right centering typically more variable than top-to-bottom centering for pre-war tobacco cards?

Accepted Answer

Pre-war cards were produced in sheets and cut vertically first, making left/right variation more common

Answer

Pre-war cards only had borders on the left and right sides

Answer

Top/bottom centering was perfectly controlled during that era

Answer

PSA does not grade top/bottom centering on pre-war cards