Grading Baseball Cards Explained

Grading the condition and quality of baseball cards is an important part of the hobby. Whether buying, selling, or collecting, being familiar with the various grading scales is crucial. The two major third-party grading companies, PSA and BGS/SGC, utilize 10-point scales to assess the condition and appearance of a card. Let’s take a deeper look at how these scales work and what they mean.

PSA Grading Scale

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is widely considered the largest and most respected third-party grading service for sports cards. They examine cards on details like centering, corners, edges and surface to arrive at an overall grade between 1-10.

10 (Gem Mint) – A true pristine 10, with perfect centering, corners, edges and surface. These cards will have exceptional eye appeal and command huge premiums due to their rarity and condition. Only a tiny fraction of submissions receive the coveted PSA 10 grade.

9 (Mint) – Nearly flawless. May have a slight flaw noticeable only upon rigorous inspection. Still exceptionally well-centered with sharp corners and edges. Highly desirable for investors and collectors.

8 (Near Mint-Mint) – Very well-preserved with minimal signing of wear. Centering is tight, corners are sharp. Small surface blemishes may be visible upon close examination. Still a highly presentable grade.

7 (Near Mint) – Light wear is noticeable, such as edge or corner nicks. Centering shifts slightly off but card face is still clean. An above average example that is generally free of distractions.

6 (Ex-Mt/Mt) – Moderate wear is now visible. Corners have more definite rounding and edgewear. Centering is now noticeably off-center. Surface blemishes may be seen from a normal viewing distance.

5 (Very Good) – Clear signs of wear with dulling of the surface. Corners are rounded. Edges have cuts or nicks. Centering is often significantly off. Condition affects the eye appeal at a glance.

4 (Good) – Definite wear is visible overall with dulling of colors and graphics. Corners have rounded tips. Significant edgewear is seen. Centering faults are considerable and diminish the look.

3 (Fair) – Heavily worn with rounded corners and edges. Prominent creases, stains or print defects are now seen. Surface has heavy dulling or scuffing. Card lacks most original crispness.

2 (Poor) – Severely worn and damaged. Big creases, tears or stains cover portions of the cardboard. Corners are significantly rounded. Condition greatly affects the integrity and appeal of the card face.

1 (Poor) – The card is ragged and truly beaten up. Portions may be missing chunks or entirely detached. Surface is heavily worn to the point of obscuring designs and graphics. Grade reserved for only the most deplorable of raw cards.

BGS/SGC Grading Scale

Beckett Grading Services (BGS) and Sportcard Guaranty (SGC) use a similar but not identical numerical system for assessing condition:

Gem Mint (10) – A true flawless presentation, with perfect centering, corners, edges and surfaces. These cards have phenomenal eye appeal and quality control.

Mint (9) – Excellent card with minimal to no flaws under close scrutiny. Sharp corners and borders with brilliant surfaces.

Near Mint (8) – Very well-preserved with only light handling marks. Corners remain sharp and edges are clean. A respectable grade.

Very Good (7) – Clear signs of mild use or aging but features remain bold. Corners have begun to soften and edges show light wear.

Good (6) – Fair to average condition reflective of moderate circulation. Edges have rounded corners and handling marks on surfaces.

Fair (5) – Clear signs of wear and aging affecting eye appeal at a glance. Corners are smooth, edges are worn, surfaces faded or marked.

Poor (4) – Heavily worn overall with rounded corners, worn edges and diminished surfaces. Significant aging affects integrity.

Very Poor (3) – Severely worn and damaged with heavy rounding, marking or substantial flaws impairing motif.

Bad (2) – Damage/defects have greatly compromised the card. Significant portions missing or creased.

Poor (1) – Cards graded a “1” are essentially non-graded, with over 75% damage/defects affecting usability.

Whether a collector values PSA, BGS/SGC, or even ungraded cards the most comes down to personal preference. But understanding these leading grading scales is key to properly assessing condition, value, and preservation of any baseball card in the collecting hobby. With any grade, a numeric ruler creates consistency for buyers and sellers to evaluate condition across different examples over time.