Card centering chart: PSA, BGS, CGC and SGC
The centering each grading company allows for every grade, front and back, for sports cards, Pokémon, Magic and other trading cards. Want your own card's numbers? Take a photo and our Pre-Grade check measures it against all four graders. It's free and your photos aren't stored.
How to read centering
Centering compares the borders on opposite sides of the card. 60/40 means the bigger border is 60% of the two together. Graders check left-right and top-bottom separately and use the worse one. The chart shows the most off-center a card can be and still get that grade. "Any" means no centering limit; "Not published" means the grader doesn't give a number for the back at that grade.
PSA centering
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| PSA 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| PSA 8 | 65/35 | 90/10 |
| PSA 7 | 70/30 | 90/10 |
| PSA 6 | 80/20 | 90/10 |
| PSA 5 | 85/15 | 90/10 |
| PSA 4 | 85/15 | 90/10 |
| PSA 3 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| PSA 2 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| PSA 1.5 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| PSA 1 | Any | Any |
BGS (Beckett) centering subgrade centering
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| BGS Pristine 10 | 50/50 | 55/45 |
| BGS 9.5 | 55/45 | 60/40 |
| BGS 9 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| BGS 8 | 60/40 | 80/20 |
| BGS 7 | 65/35 | 90/10 |
| BGS 6 | 70/30 | 95/5 |
| BGS 5 | 75/25 | 95/5 |
| BGS 4 | 80/20 | Any |
| BGS 3 | 85/15 | Any |
| BGS 2 | 90/10 | Any |
| BGS 1 | Any | Any |
CGC centering
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| CGC Pristine 10 | 50/50 | Not published |
| CGC 10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 9 | 60/40 | 90/10 |
| CGC 8 | 65/35 | Not published |
| CGC 7 | 70/30 | Not published |
| CGC 6 | 75/25 | Not published |
| CGC 4.5 | 85/15 | Not published |
| CGC 3.5 | 90/10 | Not published |
| CGC 1 | Any | Not published |
SGC centering
| Grade | Front | Back |
|---|---|---|
| SGC Pristine 10 | 50/50 | Not published |
| SGC 10 | 55/45 | Not published |
| SGC 9 | 60/40 | Not published |
| SGC 8.5 | 65/35 | Not published |
| SGC 8 | 65/35 | Not published |
| SGC 7 | 70/30 | Not published |
| SGC 6 | 75/25 | Not published |
| SGC 5 | 80/20 | Not published |
| SGC 4 | 85/15 | Not published |
| SGC 3 | 90/10 | Not published |
| SGC 1 | Any | Not published |
What the numbers don't tell you
- Graders use judgment near a line. When the border blends into the art, a card just past a limit can still make the grade; a dark picture against white borders makes off-centering easier to see.
- At Beckett the overall grade isn't an average: a centering subgrade of 8.5 or lower rules out a 9.5 overall.
- Past PSA's 9 limit, a card may come back as a PSA 9 OC (off-center), which sells for less.
- Measure the printed border, not the sleeve or toploader. Plastic makes borders look different.
Questions
What does 55/45 centering mean?
Measure the border on both sides of the card. 55/45 means the bigger border is 55% of the two together and the smaller one is 45%. Left-right and top-bottom are each judged on their own, and the worse one counts. They are never averaged.
What centering does a PSA 10 need?
About 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the back. Many older guides still say 60/40 for the front; PSA tightened it. A PSA 9 allows 60/40 on the front and 90/10 on the back.
Why is Beckett stricter on the back?
BGS gives centering its own subgrade and wants 55/45 on the back for a 10, 60/40 for a 9.5 and 70/30 for a 9. A card with a 68/32 back can still be a PSA 10 but tops out at a 9 centering subgrade at BGS.
What is an OC grade?
PSA may give an off-center card a higher number with an OC qualifier, like "PSA 9 OC", instead of a lower grade. OC cards usually sell for much less than the same grade without it.
Is centering the whole grade?
No. Corners, edges and surface count too, and a card is held back by its worst flaw. Graders also use some judgment near a line: a card right on the limit can go either way.
Want to know what it's worth graded? Look up your card's value.
From each company's published grading standards, checked October 2026. PSA, BGS and CGC from their own pages; SGC from guides that copy its published scale. Graders can change their standards at any time, and only a grading company can grade your card.