Trading Card Condition and Grading Guide: Raw vs Graded, PSA, BGS, CGC and SGC

Two copies of the same card can sell for very different prices. The difference is almost always condition, and whether the card has been professionally graded. This guide explains how condition works, what raw and graded mean, and the basics of the big grading companies: PSA, BGS, CGC and SGC. It applies to Pokémon, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece and most other trading card games.

Raw vs graded: the quick answer

• A raw card is ungraded. It sits in a sleeve, toploader or binder, and its condition is described by the seller, usually with terms like Near Mint or Lightly Played.
• A graded card has been sent to a grading company, checked for authenticity, given a grade (usually on a 1 to 10 scale) and sealed in a tamper-evident plastic case called a slab, with a label and a certification number.

Raw cards are cheaper to buy and sell and easy to handle, but condition is a matter of judgment. Graded cards cost more to produce, but the grade is an independent opinion that buyers can check.

The four things that decide condition

Whether you grade cards yourself or send them to a company, the same four areas matter:

1. Centering. How evenly the image sits inside the borders, front and back. Off-center cards lose points even if they look perfect otherwise.
2. Corners. Sharp, square corners are best. Rounding, fraying or soft dings lower the grade quickly.
3. Edges. Look for whitening (white specks along colored borders), chips and rough cuts. Whitening is very visible on dark-bordered card backs.
4. Surface. Scratches, print lines, dents, creases, stains, fingerprints and scuffs on holo or foil areas.

Factory print defects count too. A card can come out of a fresh pack already off-center or with a print line, which is why "pack fresh" does not automatically mean "perfect".

Raw condition grades

For ungraded cards, most marketplaces use a short scale. The exact names vary by site and region, but the common English version looks like this:

• Near Mint (NM): looks unplayed. At most tiny imperfections you need to search for.
• Lightly Played (LP): minor edge or corner wear, light scratches. Still looks good in a sleeve.
• Moderately Played (MP): clear wear, such as corner rounding, border whitening or surface scratches.
• Heavily Played (HP): lots of wear, possibly small creases, but no major structural damage.
• Damaged (DMG): tears, big creases, water damage, writing, or bends.

Some European marketplaces use a longer scale (Mint, Near Mint, Excellent, Good, Light Played, Played, Poor), and the same words do not always mean the same thing on every site. "Mint" in particular is used loosely. When you buy raw cards, trust the photos more than the label, and ask for pictures of the back and the corners.

How professional grading works

The process is similar at every company:

1. You choose a service level, usually priced by the card's declared value and how fast you want it back.
2. You submit the cards, often in semi-rigid card holders, with a submission form.
3. The grader checks that the card is authentic and examines centering, corners, edges and surface.
4. The card is sealed in a slab with a label showing the card, the grade and a unique certification number.
5. The certification number is recorded in the company's online database, so anyone can look it up.

Prices and turnaround times change often, so check each company's current price list before you submit.

PSA, BGS, CGC and SGC: the basics

PSA gives one overall grade, with 10 (Gem Mint) at the top. Many collectors treat a PSA 10 as the benchmark for modern cards, and PSA slabs are widely recognized by buyers.

BGS (Beckett) gives four subgrades (centering, corners, edges, surface) plus an overall grade in half points. A Black Label is a Pristine 10 where all four subgrades are 10, which is very rare. Subgrades help buyers see exactly why a card got its grade.

CGC started with comics and is now a major card grader, especially for trading card games. It uses a half-point scale and separates a Pristine 10 from a Gem Mint 10.

SGC has long been popular with vintage sports collectors and is known for its black "tuxedo" label. It also grades trading card games.

Newer graders, such as TAG, are also growing. Whichever company you use, remember that the same number does not mean the same price across companies. Buyers often pay different amounts for the same grade from different graders, and that can vary by game and era.

Game-by-game notes

Pokémon. Watch for whitening on the dark blue back borders, scratches on holo areas, and centering, which can vary a lot even in modern sets. Textured full art and alt art cards need careful surface checks.

Sports cards. Centering is a classic problem on vintage cards. Rookie cards, autographs and memorabilia cards are the most commonly graded. Some graders can grade an autograph separately from the card itself.

Magic: The Gathering. Foil cards can curl, and many cards were played, so raw Near Mint copies of older cards are harder to find. Grading is most common for older, rare and high-value cards.

One Piece. A newer game, but its alternate art and manga style rares are popular grading candidates. Check centering and surface closely, and remember that different language editions are separate cards.

Is it worth grading your card?

Grading pays off when the graded value is clearly higher than the raw value plus all your costs. Before you submit, check:

• Recent sold prices for the raw card and for the grades you realistically expect, not only for a 10.
• Total cost: the grading fee for that value level, shipping both ways, insurance and supplies.
• Time: your card is away for weeks or longer, depending on the service level.
• Risk: if the card gets a lower grade than you hoped, the slab may be worth less than the raw card was.

Grading is usually worth it for valuable cards in excellent condition, for cards you want to protect long term, and for cards where buyers strongly prefer slabs. It is rarely worth it for low-value cards or cards with obvious wear.

How to check a card before you buy or submit

• Use bright, angled light to spot scratches and dents.
• Check the back as carefully as the front.
• Look at all four corners and edges up close, using your phone's zoom or a loupe.
• Measure centering by comparing opposite borders. Each grader publishes its own centering standards.
• Handle cards by the edges, with clean, dry hands, and sleeve them right away.

Buying graded cards online

• Look up the certification number on the grading company's website and check that the card, set and grade match the slab in the photos.
• Inspect the slab for cracks, uneven seams or a label that looks wrong. Fake slabs exist.
• Buy the card, not only the number. Two cards with the same grade can look quite different. Study the photos.

For raw cards, ask for photos of the back and all corners, and ask how the card will be shipped. Our guide on how to ship trading cards safely shows what good packing looks like.

Condition and grading on PullBull

On PullBull, listings show the card's condition and, for slabbed cards, the grading company and grade. You can filter the market for graded only or raw cards. Grading information is supplied by the seller, so check the photos, look up certification numbers, and use the contact seller button to ask for more pictures. Learn more about how the marketplace works in What is PullBull?

Find graded and raw cards. Filter by condition and grading on PullBull's market. Browse auctions on PullBull

FAQ

What is the difference between raw and graded cards? A raw card is ungraded and described by the seller. A graded card has been authenticated and graded by a company like PSA, BGS, CGC or SGC and sealed in a slab with a certification number.

Which grading company is best? There is no single best. PSA is widely recognized, BGS offers subgrades, CGC is strong in trading card games and SGC is popular for vintage sports. Compare recent sold prices for your specific card at each company.

Does Near Mint mean the same as a grade of 9 or 10? No. Near Mint is a seller's description of a raw card. A numeric grade comes from a grading company's own standards.

Bottom line

Learn the four condition areas, describe raw cards honestly, and grade only when the numbers make sense. When you are ready to put that knowledge to work, browse auctions on PullBull.

Related: What is PullBull? · How to ship trading cards safely