PSA Grading Explained: What Makes a Pokémon Card Gem Mint?

If you're serious about collecting vintage Pokémon cards, understanding the PSA grading process isn't optional—it's essential. A single grade point can mean thousands of dollars in value difference, and knowing what PSA evaluators look for can transform how you buy, sell, and submit cards for grading.

Inside the PSA Grading Process

When your card arrives at PSA's facility, it undergoes a multi-step authentication and grading process conducted by professional graders with years of experience evaluating trading cards.

Step 1: Authentication
Before grading begins, specialists verify the card's authenticity using reference databases, printing characteristics, and material analysis. Counterfeits are rejected immediately—your submission fee is refunded, but the card is not returned.

Authentication is critical in today's market where high-quality fakes are increasingly common. If you're buying raw cards or want to learn how to spot counterfeits before submission, read our guide on how to spot fake vintage Pokémon cards.

Step 2: Initial Evaluation
A grader examines the card under controlled lighting conditions, assessing centering with precision calipers, inspecting corners and edges under magnification, and evaluating surface quality for any defects.

Step 3: Final Grade Assignment
A second grader independently evaluates the card. If grades differ, a senior grader makes the final determination. The lowest score among the four criteria (centering, corners, edges, surface) typically determines the overall grade.

Step 4: Encapsulation
Authenticated cards are sealed in tamper-evident cases with a unique certification number, grade designation, and card details. The PSA label includes a hologram and can be verified on PSA's online database.

The Four Grading Criteria: What PSA Actually Measures

Centering

PSA measures the border width on all four sides of both the front and back. For a PSA 10, centering must be 55/45 or better front, 75/25 or better back. Even a 60/40 front will cap the grade at PSA 9, regardless of other factors.

Pro tip: Use a ruler or centering tool to pre-screen cards before submission. Cards with obvious centering issues won't achieve gem mint grades no matter how pristine the surface.

Corners

Under 10x magnification, graders inspect each corner for sharpness. PSA 10 corners must be razor-sharp with no visible wear, fraying, or rounding. A single soft corner drops the grade to PSA 9 or lower.

Pro tip: Corner wear is cumulative. Vintage cards stored in binders or handled frequently almost never achieve PSA 10 due to microscopic corner damage invisible to the naked eye.

Edges

Edges are examined for chipping, whitening, peeling, or roughness. Factory cutting imperfections—common in vintage Pokémon cards—can prevent gem mint grades even on otherwise flawless cards.

Pro tip: Edge whitening is the most common defect in vintage cards. Inspect edges at an angle under bright light before submission.

Surface

The most scrutinized criterion for holographic cards. Graders look for scratches, print lines, indentations, wax stains, and foil defects. Holo cards are especially vulnerable—even factory-fresh cards can have micro-scratches from pack insertion.

Pro tip: Never touch the surface of a holo card with bare fingers. Oils cause long-term damage and can create hazing that drops grades.

Understanding Grade Populations and Rarity

PSA maintains a public population report showing exactly how many of each card have been graded at each level. This data is critical for understanding true scarcity.

For example, as of 2025, fewer than 500 PSA 10 1st Edition Base Set Charizards exist out of over 15,000 total submissions—a 3% gem mint rate. Compare that to Unlimited Base Set Charizard, where PSA 10s represent about 8% of submissions.

Why population matters: Low population counts in high grades drive premium pricing. A card with only 20 PSA 10 examples will command significantly more than one with 2,000 PSA 10s, even if both are technically "gem mint."

If you're building an investment-grade collection and want to understand how to leverage population data and market trends, check out our complete guide to vintage Pokémon card collecting.

Submission Strategy: When to Grade and When to Hold

Grade these cards:

• High-value cards ($100+ raw value) in apparent near-mint or better condition
• Cards with strong centering and sharp corners that could achieve PSA 9-10
• Rare cards where authentication adds significant value regardless of grade
• Cards you plan to sell—graded cards have better liquidity and command premiums

Don't grade these:

• Low-value commons unless they're exceptionally rare in high grades
• Cards with obvious centering issues, corner wear, or surface damage
• Cards you're keeping for personal collection and don't plan to sell
• Modern cards with minimal raw value—grading fees may exceed card value

Submission Tiers and Turnaround Times

PSA offers multiple service levels with different pricing and turnaround times:

Value/Regular Service: Most cost-effective for cards under $499 declared value. Typical turnaround: 45-90 days depending on volume.

Express Service: Faster processing for higher-value cards. Turnaround: 10-20 business days. Higher fees but worthwhile for valuable submissions.

Super Express/Walk-Through: Premium services for ultra-high-value cards or time-sensitive needs. Turnaround: 2-5 business days. Expensive but necessary for five-figure cards.

Pro tip: Batch submissions with similar declared values to maximize cost efficiency. Mixing a $50 card with a $5,000 card forces you to use the higher service tier for both.

Protecting Your Investment: Card Submission Best Practices

Proper card handling:

• Always use clean hands or cotton gloves when handling cards
• Place cards in penny sleeves, then card savers (not top-loaders for PSA submissions)
• Never use tape on card savers—PSA will reject improperly packaged submissions
• Include cardboard backing and ship in rigid mailers to prevent damage in transit

Declared value accuracy: Undervaluing cards to save on fees can result in inadequate insurance coverage. If a $2,000 card is lost or damaged and you declared it at $500, you'll only receive $500 compensation.

Verify certification numbers: Always check PSA's cert verification database when buying graded cards. Counterfeit PSA slabs exist, and cert numbers can be cloned from legitimate cards.

Why Retro Vault Emporium Focuses on PSA-Graded Cards

Our vault focuses on authenticated vintage Pokémon cards with an emphasis on PSA-graded specimens. While we primarily offer graded cards, we occasionally feature authenticated sealed product and exceptional rare variants when they meet our quality standards. We believe collectors deserve certainty—certainty of authenticity, certainty of condition, and certainty of value.

When you purchase from Retro Vault Emporium, you're getting:

• Third-party authentication protecting against counterfeits
• Objective condition assessment from industry-recognized experts
• Permanent preservation in tamper-evident cases (for graded items)
• Verifiable certification numbers you can check on PSA's database
• Cards and products hand-selected for quality, rarity, and investment potential

Browse our current inventory of PSA-graded vintage Pokémon cards and rare collectibles, and reach out with questions about specific items, grading, or building your collection. At Retro Vault Emporium, we're committed to transparency, authenticity, and helping collectors make informed decisions.