Grading sports cards is an art that every collector at heart would like to master.
Unfortunately, it is not as simple as saying “wow, this card is either in good condition or it is
not”. Instead, it requires a lot of observation and detail. Stay with us to learn all about sports
card grading. and check out some Sports Card Forum
Signed card grading
The most common collectible cards, and the ones we collectors go out of our way to collect
the most, are baseball cards. However, as valuable and unique as a card is, if it is signed by
a player, it is much, much more expensive.
That said, here is the most common classification of signed baseball cards, according to the
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator):
- Fair or Poor
The card is severely worn from age or physical abuse. Its corners are creased and the edge
material is frizzy. Such a card has virtually no value beyond sentimental value. - Good
A card already without any gloss, with creased corners and the occasional significant
crease. Although a sports card in this condition may have some value, the truth is that it is
very low. - Very Good
The material has some scuffs that do not detract too much from its brightness and perhaps
some corners are creased. Overall, the card maintains its integrity and is a good value. - Very Good – Excellent
A card with this rating has some surface wear, but still retains some of its original luster. It is
acceptable for the corners to be slightly bent, but not overly so. It is also possible to find
some edge abuse. - Excellent
It has very soft creases at the corners and the edges have some wrinkling. Perhaps there
are also superficial scratches, but they do not detract from the gloss. - Excellente-Mint
For a sports card to fall into this rating level, it should not have lost its overall attractiveness.
However, it may have some surface wear and perhaps a manufacturing defect. In some
cases, defects of this type may increase the value of the card.
- Near Mint
A cursory look reveals no major imperfections, but being meticulous there is some surface
wear. The corners are bent, but it is barely noticeable. In most cases, the image remains as
bright as the day it left the factory. Slight printing defects may be present. - Near Mint-Mint
Although the edges may be a little gray due to age, and have some creases, the card is in
perfect condition. There may also be some printing defects, such as the image being slightly
off-center. - Mint
It is acceptable for the print to be slightly off center and to have some defects due to wear
and tear. However, the card is in near mint condition, with no bends or scratches. - Gem Mint
As far as sports cards go, this is as good as a piece can be. There are no bent corners, the
printing is perfectly centered, the gloss is perfect, and there are no blemishes of any kind.
Basically, the card is perfect in every way.
Other popular sports card ratings
These are other popular sports card rating scales:
Other popular sports card ratings
These are other popular sports card rating scales:
ISA Grading (ISA)
The scale starts at 1 and goes to 10 ( Gem Mint ) , which is as good as you can find and uses a strict scale like PSA. A Popular alternative to PSA grading, which takes months to deliver your cards back. ISA Grading only takes a week. How To Grade Your Pokemon Cards
Beckett Grading Services (BGS)
The scale is very similar to that of PSA, ranging from 1 to 10. However, BGS also developed
a scale exclusively for edges and corners, along with a Value Guide. This guide can be
found on the website of Beckett magazine, with whom the BGS is affiliated.