Centering limits by grade
Each row is the worst centering a company allows for that grade, written the way collectors write it: 55/45 means the wider border is 55% of the pair. Where a company states no limit for the back, the table says so. Checked against each company’s own grading scale in October 2026. Beckett’s figures are from its scale as published in May 2026, because beckett.com has been offline since early October. Not affiliated with or endorsed by PSA, Beckett, CGC or SGC.
PSA
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| 8 | 65/35 | 90/10 |
| 7 | 70/30 | 90/10 |
| 6 | 80/20 | 90/10 |
| 5 | 85/15 | 90/10 |
| 4 | 85/15 | 90/10 |
| 3 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| 2 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| 1.5 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
Beckett (BGS)
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Pristine | 50/50 all round | 60/40 |
| 9.5 | 55/45 one way, 50/50 the other | 60/40 |
| 9 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| 8 | 60/40 | 80/20 |
| 7 | 65/35 | 90/10 |
| 6 | 70/30 | 95/5 |
| 5 | 75/25 | 95/5 |
| 4 | 80/20 | 100/0 |
| 3 | 85/15 | 100/0 |
| 2 | 90/10 | 100/0 |
CGC
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Pristine | 50/50 | not stated* |
| 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| 8 | 65/35 | not stated |
| 7.5 | 65/35 | not stated |
| 7 | 70/30 | not stated |
| 6 | 75/25 | not stated |
| 4.5 | 85/15 | not stated |
| 3.5 | 90/10 | not stated |
SGC
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Pristine | 50/50 | not stated |
| 10 | 55/45 | not stated |
| 9 | 60/40 | not stated |
| 8.5 | 65/35 | not stated |
| 8 | 65/35 | not stated |
| 7.5 | 70/30 | not stated |
| 7 | 70/30 | not stated |
| 6 | 75/25 | not stated |
| 5 | 80/20 | not stated |
| 4 | 85/15 | not stated |
| 3 | 90/10 | not stated |
| 2 | 90/10 | not stated |
| 1.5 | 90/10 | not stated |
* CGC states no back limit for a Pristine 10. It can’t be looser than a Gem Mint 10’s 75/25, so the calculator holds it to that.
How to read it
Measure the two borders on one axis, left and right, then top and bottom. The wider border’s share of the pair is the centering: a 3.3 mm left border and a 2.7 mm right border make 55/45. A card is held to its worse axis, so 55/45 one way and 52/48 the other counts as 55/45.
Beckett is the one company that limits both axes at its top grades: a Pristine 10 needs 50/50 all round, and a 9.5 allows 55/45 one way only if the other way is 50/50.
Centering is one part of a grade. Corners, edges and surface can only pull a card lower than this chart shows. And these are published guidelines: PSA’s own scale says a small variance may be allowed at the grader’s discretion, based on the card’s overall eye appeal.
To measure a card, use the card centering calculator with a photo, or print the centering template and count the millimetre lines.
Frequently asked questions
What centering does a PSA 10 need?
PSA’s grading standards ask for about 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the back for a Gem Mint 10.
What centering does a PSA 9 need?
About 60/40 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
Does a BGS 10 need perfect centering?
For a Pristine 10, Beckett’s published scale asks for 50/50 all round on the front and 60/40 or better on the back. A 9.5 allows 55/45 one way and 50/50 the other.
What does 60/40 centering mean?
That on one axis the wider border is 60% of the two borders together and the narrower one 40%. A 3 mm and a 2 mm border make 60/40.
Does back centering matter?
Yes, at most companies, though the limits are looser than the front. PSA, Beckett and CGC publish back limits; SGC’s scale gives none.
Can a card with bad centering still get a 10?
Not by these limits. A card past the front limit for a grade can’t get that grade on centering, however good the corners and surface are. PSA does say a grader may allow a small variance for eye appeal.
Dead Center on your phone
Dead Center measures a card’s centering from a photo, front and back, and holds it against this chart for you. It finds the borders itself, straightens a tilted photo, and sorts a stack of cards into a grading plan. It's free on Google Play.
Save this sheet to Pinterest · More about Dead Center
The card centering template goes with it, and the is it worth grading? calculator weighs up the cost. There's more on the printables page.