There are a few different services that grade baseball cards to determine their condition and value. The main organizations that provide this service are Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), Sportscard Guaranty Corporation (SGC), and Hit Parade Grading (HPG). Each company has its own grading scale, but they are generally very similar.
The top grade a card can receive from these services is called “gem mint” or “mint” which is the equivalent of a PSA 10 or BGS/SGC Black Label 10. To achieve this top grade, cards must be in absolutely flawless condition with perfect centering, corners and edges. There can be no signs of handling, whitening or defects of any kind to the surface of the card. PSA 10 and BGS/SGC Black Label 10 cards in high demand modern and vintage rookies can be worth thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars depending on the player and year.
The next highest grade is usually called “mint” which would correlate to a PSA 9, BGS 9.5/10, or SGC Gem Mint 9.5-10. Cards in this grade will have very minimal sign of wear, perhaps a single small print spot or slight centering issue, but still look incredibly sharp and attractive. Values for mint graded cards can range greatly depending on the player/card but usually represent a small to moderate discount from a gem mint 10.
After mint, the conditions grades generally go to “near mint-mint” aka PSA 8, BGS 9, SGC 8.5-9. Cards at this level will show more noticeable wear and age but still have sharp corners, edges and surfaces. Centering may be off slightly more and lightweight print spots or handling marks may begin to appear. Values in this range represent a more sizeable drop off from gem mint but can still be significant for the right vintage stars or modern rookie cards.
Continuing downwards, the next common grades are “near mint” (PSA 7, BGS 8, SGC 8) and “excellent” (PSA 6, BGS 7, SGC 7-7.5). Cards at the near mint level will exibit further wear with more visible rounding of edges or corners and possible light scratches or indentations to the surface. Centering is often noticeably off and some print defects may be seen. PSA 6 “excellent” condition cards will have signs of heavier circulation like abrasions, bends or discoloration around the edges but still clearly show the complete front image and text. Values at this level decline sharply but can still hold value for the true vintage stars or hard to find modern parallels.
The lowest “investment” grades generally considered are “very good” (PSA 5, BGS 6, SGC 6.5) and “good” (PSA 4, BGS 5, SGC 6). Very good cards may have folds, creases or scrapes that penetrate the surface. Edges will be heavily rounded. Centering can be poor. Good graded cards have advanced flaws, possibly cutting off part of the front image or text and significant wear. Most cards below these conditions hold more nostalgic than numerical value aside from the true vintage icons.
In addition to number grades, the top two major services, PSA and BGS also provide sub-grades within several categories such as centering, corners, edges and surface to give more in-depth analysis of exactly where flaws exist on each individual card. For example, a raw ungraded card may grade PSA 6 overall but receive a 9 in centering and 7.5 in corners/edges indicating specific strengths in those sub-areas.
The entire grading process involves highly trained PSA, BGS or SGC authenticators who individually examine each card under magnification with lighting equipment to meticulously analyze condition. After grading, the certified slab protects the card and gives authentication/insurance of the assigned grade. Cards are then tracked through the tracking number on their holder to help identify even re-holdered slabs. Reconsideration requests are possible if new slabs show different grades.
Third party grading helps establish universally agreed upon condition standards, identifies investment grade specimens worthy of long term preservation and brings transparency to the sports card marketplace. Proper storage methods like semi-rigid holders or one-touches are recommended to maintain condition after the grade is assigned. Factors like the population report scarcity of high grades, historical accomplishments, and autographs can further enhance values beyond just the numeric grade alone. Grading provides an objective system for collectors to evaluate condition options when pursuing cards of their favorite players from the past and present.
