Guide · Grading standards
Centering standards: PSA vs BGS vs CGC
Each grading company allows a different amount of off-centering for each grade. These are their published tolerances, side by side.
Always check the source. Grading companies revise their standards, and final grades also depend on eye appeal and the grader's judgment. The figures below were checked against each company's published material in September 2026. Confirm them on the official pages linked at the end before you submit.
How to read the tables
Each figure is the most off-center a card can be and still qualify for that grade. "60/40" means the wider border can take up to 60% of that axis. The limit applies to the worse of the two axes (left–right or top–bottom). Back tolerances are more generous because the reverse gets less attention from collectors.
PSA
PSA publishes a centering range for each grade. The first number is the ideal and the second is the limit.
| PSA grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Gem Mint | 55/45 to 60/40 | 75/25 |
| 9 Mint | 60/40 to 65/35 | 90/10 |
| 8 NM-MT | 65/35 to 70/30 | 90/10 |
| 7 NM | 70/30 to 75/25 | 90/10 |
PSA gives a single overall grade. A card at 58/42 on the front sits inside the Gem Mint range, but it's closer to the edge, so eye appeal and the other factors carry more weight.
BGS (Beckett)
Beckett grades four subgrades (centering, corners, edges and surface) and derives the overall grade from them. Centering is judged on both sides together.
| BGS centering subgrade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Pristine | 50/50 | Near-perfect (published figures range from 50/50 to 60/40) |
| 9.5 Gem Mint | 55/45 | 60/40 |
Black Label is Beckett's top honour: a card that earns a 10 in all four subgrades. For centering that means a Pristine 10, essentially perfect on the front.
Below 9.5, the figures quoted for Beckett's centering subgrades differ between sources, so we don't list them here. Check Beckett's official grading scale for the current numbers.
CGC
| CGC grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| Pristine 10 | 50/50 | 50/50 |
| Gem Mint 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| Mint 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| NM/Mint 8 | 65/35 | not specified |
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Side by side: the grades collectors chase
| Target | Front limit | Back limit | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGS Black Label / Pristine 10 | 50/50 | near 50/50 | Extreme |
| CGC Pristine 10 | 50/50 | 50/50 | Extreme |
| BGS 9.5 Gem Mint | 55/45 | 60/40 | Hard |
| CGC Gem Mint 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 | Hard |
| PSA 10 Gem Mint | 60/40 | 75/25 | Moderate |
| PSA 9 Mint | 65/35 | 90/10 | Moderate |
The pattern is clear: a card that is 58/42 on the front is still a PSA 10 candidate but can't reach a BGS 9.5 centering subgrade or a CGC Gem Mint 10. Measuring before you choose a grading company can decide which one gives the card its best chance.
How CardCenter Pro applies these limits
- It takes the worst axis of each side and rounds it to the nearest whole number, then compares it with each limit above.
- For PSA it uses the outer end of each published range (60/40 for a 10), so a card listed as a PSA 10 candidate may still be borderline. Cards between 55/45 and 60/40 depend on eye appeal.
- For BGS it uses the strict side where published figures disagree, so it won't promise a Black Label that a grader would refuse.
- The combined verdict is the best grade that both the front and the back meet.
Centering is only one factor
A perfectly centered card with a soft corner or a surface scratch won't get a 10. Centering can cap a grade, but it can't lift one. Before paying for grading, run through our pre-grading checklist.
Official sources
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