PSA PSA Grading Scale: 1-10 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which PSA grade is labeled Near Mint-Mint and what are its primary characteristics?

PSA 6
PSA 7 (Correct answer)
PSA 8
PSA 9

Correct answer: PSA 7

PSA 7 is labeled Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT), characterized by at most one minor flaw from a defined list such as slight corner fraying, a few light touch marks, or a minor print defect, with otherwise excellent attributes.

PSA 7 (Near Mint-Mint) represents a card that is very close to perfect but shows evidence of careful handling. The card may have one of the following: slight fraying on one corner, two or three light touch marks, or one minor printing defect. Centering must be 65/35 or better on both front and back. PSA 7 is the aspirational grade for many vintage collectors who want high-quality cards without paying PSA 8-10 premiums.

Question 2: A card graded PSA 5 is described as which condition on the grading scale?

Fair
Good
Very Good
Excellent (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Excellent

PSA 5 is labeled Excellent, representing a card with minor surface wear, slight corner fraying, and good eye appeal, a solid mid-grade card that displays well despite evidence of handling.

PSA 5 (Excellent) describes a card showing minor wear on corners and some surface scuffing but maintaining good eye appeal with bright colors and a clear image. Surface gloss may be partially lost and very light creases may be present. Cards in this grade are among the most common at hobby shows and represent the typical condition of vintage cards handled normally by collectors before protective storage became standard practice.

Question 3: For which PSA grade is the label Poor?

PSA 1 (Correct answer)
PSA 1.5
PSA 2
PSA 3

Correct answer: PSA 1

PSA 1 is labeled Poor, representing the lowest grade for a card that is still complete but may have heavy creasing, staining, rounded corners, and significant wear throughout.

PSA 1 (Poor) describes a heavily worn card that is still identifiable and complete with no missing pieces, but shows severe condition issues including heavy creasing, rounded corners, significant staining, major surface wear, and possibly writing on the card. Despite its poor condition, a PSA 1 can still have significant value for rare cards where any authenticated copy is coveted.

Question 4: What separates PSA 9 from PSA 10 in practical grading terms?

PSA 9 allows two minor printing imperfections; PSA 10 allows none
PSA 9 allows one minor printing imperfection while PSA 10 requires no printing imperfections at all (Correct answer)
PSA 9 and PSA 10 use identical criteria; the difference is subjective
PSA 10 requires a special submission tier that PSA 9 does not

Correct answer: PSA 9 allows one minor printing imperfection while PSA 10 requires no printing imperfections at all

PSA 9 permits one minor printing imperfection while PSA 10 allows none. Both require strong centering and sharp corners, but PSA 10 tolerates absolutely no imperfections of any kind.

The practical difference between PSA 9 and PSA 10 is extremely narrow: PSA 9 permits one minor printing imperfection (a small dot, slight color irregularity) while PSA 10 tolerates absolutely no imperfections of any kind. Both grades require similarly sharp corners, strong centering, and clean surfaces. This thin margin explains why PSA 10 is so rare relative to PSA 9.

Question 5: In PSA grading, what does VG stand for and at which grade number does it appear?

Very Good appears at PSA 3 (Correct answer)
Very Good appears at PSA 4
Very Good appears at PSA 5
Very Good-Excellent appears at PSA 3

Correct answer: Very Good appears at PSA 3

VG stands for Very Good and is assigned to PSA 3, representing a card with some corner rounding, minor surface wear, and possible light creases but still clearly readable and structurally intact.

PSA 3 (Very Good) describes cards showing visible wear on all four corners and minor surface wear. Very light creases may be present and borders may show slight notching. Despite these issues, the card's image remains clear, colors are reasonably bright, and the card is structurally complete. PSA 3 vintage cards are popular with budget-conscious collectors who want authenticated examples of key cards.

Question 6: What is the significance of the PSA 10 Gem Mint designation in the trading card market?

It is the standard grade for most cards in good storage
It represents the maximum achievable grade for any card and typically commands exponentially higher prices than PSA 9 for the same card (Correct answer)
It is reserved only for cards produced after 1980
It guarantees the card will increase in value annually

Correct answer: It represents the maximum achievable grade for any card and typically commands exponentially higher prices than PSA 9 for the same card

PSA 10 Gem Mint represents the pinnacle of the grading scale and typically commands prices that are multiples, often 5x to 100x, greater than PSA 9 copies of the same card, due to the extreme rarity of meeting all PSA 10 criteria.

The PSA 10 Gem Mint designation has become the ultimate prize in modern sports card collecting, with high-profile PSA 10s of rookie cards and vintage stars selling for astronomical sums. The exponential price premium over PSA 9, often 5x to 100x or more for popular cards, reflects the extreme difficulty of achieving the grade. Most cards from a given pack or production run yield zero PSA 10s.

PSA PSA Grading Scale: 1-10 2

Which PSA grade is labeled Near Mint-Mint and what are its primary characteristics?