Card centering requirements for PSA, BGS and CGC
Centering is the one flaw you can measure before you pay to grade. Here's what PSA, BGS and CGC allow at each grade, front and back, and how to read a ratio like 60/40.
What a centering ratio means
A ratio compares two opposite borders. Add the left and right borders together and work out what share of that total the wider one takes. If the left border is 3 mm and the right is 2 mm, the combined border is 5 mm and the left takes 60% of it, so the card is 60/40 left to right. Top and bottom are measured the same way.
Graders look at both axes and the worse one sets the limit. A card that's 52/48 top to bottom but 62/38 left to right is a 62/38 card.
PSA centering standards
PSA's Gem Mint 10 allows about 55/45 on the front and 75/25 on the back. PSA tightened the front from 60/40 to 55/45 in early 2025, so older guides that quote 60/40 for a 10 are out of date.
| PSA grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| Gem Mint 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| Mint 9 | 60/40 to 65/35 | 90/10 |
| NM-MT 8 | 65/35 to 70/30 | 90/10 |
| NM 7 | 70/30 to 75/25 | 90/10 |
| EX-MT 6 | 80/20 | 90/10 |
| EX 5 | 85/15 | 90/10 |
PSA gives a range for 9, 8 and 7. A card inside the range can go either way depending on how the rest of the card looks.
BGS centering subgrade
Beckett gives centering its own subgrade, and it judges the back more strictly than PSA does. That's why a card with a perfect front can still miss a Black Label.
| BGS subgrade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Pristine | 50/50 both ways | 60/40 |
| 9.5 Gem Mint | 55/45 both ways | 60/40 |
| 9 Mint | 55/45 one way, 60/40 the other | 70/30 |
| 8.5 NM-MT+ | 60/40 both ways | 80/20 |
| 8 NM-MT | 65/35 both ways | 90/10 |
| 7 Near Mint | 70/30 both ways | 95/5 |
CGC centering standards
CGC's Gem Mint 10 matches PSA's limits: 55/45 on the front and 75/25 on the back. Above it sits Pristine 10, which needs 50/50 centering. Below a 9, CGC's published limits don't separate front and back.
| CGC grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| Pristine 10 | 50/50 | - |
| Gem Mint 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| Mint 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| NM/Mint 8 | 65/35 | - |
| Near Mint 7 | 70/30 | - |
| Ex/NM 6 | 75/25 | - |
Every common ratio, graded
If you already know a card's ratio, these pages show how it grades at each company and what it looks like on a real card: 50/50, 52/48, 55/45, 57/43, 60/40, 62/38, 65/35, 70/30, 75/25, 80/20, 85/15, 90/10.
How much the back matters
For PSA and CGC, a back has to be quite far off, past 75/25, before it costs a 10. Most modern cards clear that easily. For BGS the back matters much more: anything worse than 60/40 rules out a 9.5 centering subgrade.
Measure before you submit
You don't need special tools. A clear, straight-on photo and the centering calculator will tell you the split in a minute. Measure both sides, then compare the result to the tables above. A card that can't reach the grade you need isn't worth the fee.
Questions
Can a 60/40 card get a PSA 10?
Not under PSA's current standard. Since early 2025 a PSA 10 needs about 55/45 or better on the front. A 60/40 front points to a 9 at best.
Which grading company is strictest on centering?
BGS, because of its back requirements and its 50/50 Pristine subgrade. PSA and CGC allow the same 55/45 front and 75/25 back for a Gem Mint 10.