Grading cards is big business and an objective, trustworthy grading system is a necessity. The Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) created the most common grading system, ranging from 10 to 1.

10:Gem Mint. The sports card is as perfect as possible. Corners are sharp, color is glossy, and the card is free of any staining. The image is centered.

9: Mint. Only very minor flaws. Slightly off-center, slight printing imperfection, but otherwise an excellent sports card.

8: Near Mint-Mint. Excellent sports card, slight fraying might be present. Slightly off-white borders.

7: Near Mint. Close inspection reveals slight surface wear or slightly frayed corners. Mostly glossy picture, slight printing errors.

6: Excellent-Mint. May have a printing defect or visible surface wear, but there is no loss of overall appeal.

5: Excellent. Minor corner rounding. Edges might have minor chipping. Minor noticeable surface scratches.

4: Very Good-Excellent. Slightly rounded corners, surface wear, some original gloss.

3: Very Good. Some rounded corners, slight surface scratches or scuffing.

2: Good. Several creases are apparent. Corners rounded. No gloss.

1: Poor to Fair. The sports card shows advanced wear. Corners are rounded, edges chipped and frayed. Pitting, chipping, and scuffing are all very apparent.