![]() ![]() But attaining this pinnacle through PSA‘s grading process requires time, diligence, and most of all – money. It‘s quite clear collectors covet the perfection and prestige of the PSA 10 grade. Nearly triple the value for that extra nudge from PSA 9 to 10! Even modern cards display this grading premium: Let‘s examine the pricing gulf through some sales examples: Given their unmatched rarity, PSA 10 graded cards command exorbitant premiums over lesser grades. That‘s why of any PSA grade, the 10 reigns supreme in its unfathomability. One innocent slip ruins the chance entirely. ![]() Simply put, achieving PSA 10 requires a card remain pristine and untouched from pack opening to grading submission. And cards residing in attics or basements contend with moisture, light bleaching, and environmental wear. From filler binders to bicycle spokes, vintage cards endured all manner of storage growing up. Even nimble handling risks compromising that balance.įor older cards, surviving decades unscathed is highly unlikely. The cutting process always exhibits slight variation, meaning perfectly centered cards are uncommon. Once you‘ve played a card, pinched it between fingers, or shuffled it into a deck, the chance of PSA 10 is basically gone.Ĭentering offers another obstacle. We excitedly thumb through the cards to check the draw, inevitably trusting them to fate. Let‘s be honest – when cracking open a fresh pack, our first instinct isn‘t preserving mint condition for grading. That attests to the remarkable elusiveness of a PSA 10, even among high profile cards.īut exactly why are these graded gems so rare? The Difficulty of PSA 10 Perfection Out of thousands in circulation, only 22 examples over 60+ years have avoided imperfections significant enough to preclude PSA‘s 10 rating. Now consider an iconic vintage card like the Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps: That‘s right, out of over 500 copies of this Charizard graded, only 6 have reached the PSA 10 summit! And for the Shadowless variant, less than 20% of submissions garner the top grade. Let‘s examine just how scarce PSA 10 cards are in the wild using population data: Population Rarity of PSA 10 CardsĪchieving the pristine PSA 10 standard is monumentally difficult, even for brand new cards. That‘s how impossibly strict the criteria is. Even one minuscule nick, ding, or rub would disqualify a PSA 10 grade. Symmetrical borders evenly aligned on front and backĮssentially, the card must appear as if it came fresh from a pack and went straight into a protective sleeve, never touched by human hands. Smooth, blemish-free card face and back.No scuffs, scratches, indents, fingerprints, or smudges.Glossy or foil sheen without scratches or dulling.Original card coloring without any fading.No blurring or indistinct print defects.Exceptional clarity in card image and text. ![]() Completely sharp and intact corner points.The PSA 10 CriteriaĪ PSA 10 graded card must exhibit perfection across all grading metrics: Perfect Corners Let‘s explore what warrants this elite status. So where does a PSA 10 rate? It represents the absolute pinnacle of the PSA scale. PSA‘s grading criteria evaluates the card‘s corners, edges, surface, and centering. They encase each graded card in a hard plastic slab authenticated with the PSA logo. PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) is a third-party service that grades trading cards on a 10-point numeric scale. PSA Grading 101įirst, let‘s start with the basics. But what makes a PSA 10 so special? What does it take to earn this elite grading? I‘m going to lift the veil on PSA grading and explain everything you need to know about achieving card collecting‘s pinnacle ranking. And in the world of collectibles, no name carries more weight than PSA 10. As an avid Pokémon card collector yourself, you know the importance of card condition. ![]()
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