A 60-second pre-screen saves you the $36 PSA fee on cards that won't grade well. This is the exact checklist our team runs on every card before it goes into a submission through our grading service.
Tools you need
- 10× jeweler's loupe (or your phone's macro lens).
- Daylight LED desk lamp, 5000K+.
- Black surface to inspect against.
- Digital calipers (optional, for centering measurement).
- White nitrile gloves.
The 4-point PSA 10 checklist
1. Centering
PSA 10 requires 55/45 or better front, 75/25 back. Measure border widths with calipers or eyeball against a printed grid. Any obvious left/right or top/bottom imbalance = cap at 9.
2. Corners
Tilt the card so the corner catches direct light. Any white fuzz, fraying, or rounding = max 8. Sharp factory edges in all four corners = 10 candidate.
3. Edges
Run a fingernail (with gloves on) along each edge. Catching = chipping = cap at 8. Smooth all the way around = pass.
4. Surface
Tilt the card slowly under the LED. Look for:
- Print lines (long, faint horizontal or vertical lines).
- Scratches (often only visible at certain angles).
- Print dots (small white or black specks).
- Indentations (light pressure marks).
Any of these on the front = cap at 9.
Card-specific quirks
- Prizm refractors: centering is the #1 killer. The silver border makes any imbalance obvious.
- Pokemon holos: surface scratches across the foil layer are deal-breakers. See our Pokemon grading guide.
- One Piece foils: softer foil layer, more prone to micro-scratches. See One Piece guide.
- Topps Chrome: notorious for back roller marks. Check the back as carefully as the front.
The honest grade estimation
| Defects found | Likely PSA grade |
|---|---|
| None | 9 or 10 (50/50) |
| Slight centering only | 9 |
| Centering + 1 corner soft | 8 |
| Edge whitening visible | 7-8 |
| Surface scratch + any other flaw | 6-7 |
Decision rule
Submit a card only if (a) the raw value justifies the tier (see PSA grading cost) and (b) you'd grade it 9+ in your own pre-screen. Anything else, sell raw or use Value Bulk via our bulk submission approach.
Let us pre-screen for you
Drop your cards with our PSA submission service — we pre-screen every card and flag the ones that won't grade well before you spend a cent. Higher-value cards go through our consignment program for grading + sale in one flow.
Ready to grade or sell?
BlackJadedWolf has 20+ years in the card market with PSA, BGS, and CGC submission services plus white-glove consignment for collectors who want top dollar without the headache.