Cards
Card grading explained: scales, labels, population reports
A grading company examines a card, assigns a number for its condition and seals it in a labelled plastic case. Most companies use a 1 to 10 scale, and the number is that company's opinion of that one copy on the day it was examined. The card inside the case is the same card it was before.
How third-party grading works in general. Drafted 8 Nov 2026.
Grading companies authenticate, assess and encapsulate
A grading company does three things. It checks that the card is genuine, it assesses the condition, and it seals the card in a tamper-evident hard plastic case, often called a slab. The label inside the case records the card name, set, number, the grade and a certification number. Most companies run an online lookup where that certification number returns the same details, which helps confirm that a case matches its label. Several companies operate in English-speaking markets, and others operate in Japan and Europe. Their standards, scales and label designs differ, so the same card can receive different grades from different companies, and each company publishes its own scale. One published scale allows about 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering for a Gem Mint 10, and keeps 50/50 for a Pristine 10 tier above it.
The 10 point scale varies by company
The common scale runs from 1, heavily worn, to 10, a card with no visible flaws under that company's inspection. Some companies use half points between whole grades. Some add subgrades for centering, corners, edges and surface and derive the overall grade from them. Some keep a tier above an ordinary 10 for cards that pass a stricter standard. Words appear beside the numbers, such as Mint for a 9 and Gem Mint for a 10, and the words and half grades between them differ by company: one scale uses a 9.5, another goes straight from 9 to 10. Read the company's own published scale before comparing two labels, and compare grades within one company first.
A grade describes one copy at one inspection
The grade is an assessment of a single physical card on the date it was examined. It covers centering, corners, edges and surface, and at most companies whether the card is genuine. It carries no information about the printing's rarity or demand, and no promise about future condition. Cases crack, and cards are removed and resubmitted. Grading changes nothing for a card that will be played, since a card sealed in a case has to come out of it before it can be shuffled into a deck. For a card kept in a binder for personal reasons, a grade adds a label and a case. The card, its print run and its history stay as they were.
Population reports count what one company has graded
Most companies publish a population report: for each card, the number of copies they have graded at each grade. The report counts that company's submissions only. Ungraded copies, copies at other companies and copies never submitted are outside it, and a card cracked out of its case and resubmitted can be counted twice. Fees exist for every submission. They usually rise with faster turnaround and with the declared value of the card, which also sets the insurance level. Turnaround runs from days to months depending on the service tier and the queue; one company publishes estimates from 2 to 150 working days. Shipping both ways, insurance and any membership fee add to the total.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Raw | An ungraded card |
| Slab | The sealed plastic case a graded card comes back in |
| Certification number | The unique number on the label, checkable in the company's online lookup |
| Subgrade | A separate score for centering, corners, edges or surface |
| Population report | The count of copies one company has graded at each grade |
| Crossover | Submitting a card graded by one company to another, which regrades it |
| Crack and resubmit | Removing a card from its case and submitting it again |
| Declared value | The figure the submitter states; it sets the fee tier and the insurance |
Read next
Sources read for this page
- ReadPublished grading scales and service pages of two grading companiesread 8 Nov 2026