In the Pokémon TCG, there is a slight difference between getting a grade 9 or 10; however, that difference can severely change the value of a card.
With only a single digit separating a graded 9 and 10 trading card, what difference does it make in value, and how do cards get a 10 over a 9? In recent years the Pokémon TCG has seen a large spike in popularity and value. Often though a card needs to have a perfect grade to have any sort of value. A graded 8 or below usually lacks value, unless the card is old and had limited printing. The criteria for grading are very strict and often require a bit of luck as well as collector preparation. Of course, there are also pros and cons of getting Pokémon cards graded.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Pokémon TCG started in October 1996, initially printed by different companies before Nintendo and The Pokémon Company took over the duties in 2003. The series has seen numerous sets released over the years, usually in correspondence with the generation the games are in. Cards are used and valued both for competitive play and collecting, it all depends on the person. As for grading, many companies are around that handle those duties. However, the two most popular are PSA and Beckett. These two are known for having the strictest grading criteria as well as a high reputation that validates the card's grade and value. This is important for trying to make Pokémon cards into a good investment.
Related: Pokémon TCG: How To Spot Fake Cards & Save Yourself Money
The separation between a 9 and 10 is slim but holds a lot of value. Sourcing descriptions from PSA Grading Standards, a 10 is essentially a perfect card. Four sharp corners with no dulling or wear on the card of any kind, essentially it needed to be put into a card sleeve and protected right out of the pack. The luck kicks in where the card needs to have perfect centering and no printing errors; however, there is some tolerance for errors if they are minimal. In comparison, a Pokémon card graded as a 9 is a small step down from a 10. This means usually having some kind of imperfection like a finger stain, imperfect borders, or a more major printing error.
The Price Differences In Graded Pokémon Cards
The value of cards changes drastically between a 9 and 10 grade, and some Pokémon cards are worth a lot of money. For example, one of the most popular cards is a 1999 1st Edition Charizard Holo. Using the PSA Price Guide, a PSA 10 of this card is valued at around $375,000. In comparison, a PSA 9 drops down to around $20,000. That is a huge drop in value for just one number, and depending on the collector, a 9 could be just as good as a 10. However, it is this drive for perfection that truly sets the value apart. As with a PSA 10, collectors are getting a Pokémon card knowing it is perfect or as close to perfection as one can get. Even if a PSA 9 looks exactly like a PSA 10 at a glance, some collectors will care about that little imperfection. So the value of a card is connected to the value collectors will put on it, and often an investment into a Pokémon card could take a while to pay off.
So, overall, while the grading difference can be minimal, it greatly affects the value of a Pokémon card. One tiny flaw, whether user error or creator error, can cost greatly in the grand scheme of things. The other trouble nowadays is the Pokémon TCG is printing many more cards than in the past. So while an older card may only have ten thousand copies, a card today could have a million. This severely tanks the value of a card as its rarity no longer matters. Now if a collector does not care about the difference in a grade, getting a PSA 9 will be a much cheaper option for the same result. However, if looking to become a master collector with the high-value PSA 10 cards, be ready to properly protect cards for grading, as well as pay great amounts for the cards desired.
Source: PSA
FAQs
What is the difference between Grade 9 and Grade 10 cards? ›
In comparison, a Pokémon card graded as a 9 is a small step down from a 10. This means usually having some kind of imperfection like a finger stain, imperfect borders, or a more major printing error.
Is a 9 graded card good? ›A Mint 9, as defined by PSA, is a card that is in “superb condition” and has only one minor flaw. This flaw can be a range of things, but most commonly PSA will grade a card a Mint 9 if there is simply a “minor printing imperfection”.
How much value does PSA 10 add? ›Compared to raw cards, the PSA 10 sells for about 7x more. That's a big difference! Comparatively, the BGS 9.5 only sells for about 3.5x as much. PSA 9s are worth 2x as much as the raw card.
What is PSA 9 and 10? ›A PSA Mint 9 pack is a pack that appears to have all the attributes of a PSA Gem Mint 10 but it may exhibit one of the following flaws: a slight touch of wear on one corner (absent a hole or tear in the wrapper), minor toning or soiling to the seal on the reverse or a slight centering imperfection to the wrap.
Does Grade 9 and 10 matter? ›Colleges and universities only look at your marks from grade 12, the best six marks precisely. Marks from previous grades only matters when you're applying for early acceptance into the university.
Is Grade 9 the same as Year 10? ›In India, Year 10 (known as Class 9 or Standard 9) is usually the tenth year of compulsory education. It is the 1st year in High School, with standard 10 or class 10 as the second and final year in high school.
Is PSA 10 good? ›A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doens't impair the overall appeal of the card.
What does 10 graded card mean? ›For a card to earn a 10, the edges of a card must be flawless to the naked eye and virtually perfect when looked at under magnification. Surface. The final criteria looked at by card graders is the surface of the card. A card's surface is susceptible to loss of glossiness, wax stains, scratching, and printing defects.
Are PSA 9 worth collecting? ›If it's grading mostly PSA 10's (like with Red's Pikachu and some other modern cards), then getting a PSA 9 is just not worth it. If it's evenly balanced or there are less 10's, it may not be a bad value proposition. If 9s and 10s are both pretty scarce for that card, but the 10 is way more pricey, go for the 9.
How hard is it to get PSA 10? ›It's hard to get a PSA 10 rating for your card. To get that rating, your card would have to be perfect in almost every regard when it comes to grading standards. This means that it would have to have perfect corners, centering, surface, and all other aspects also need to be perfected.
How much more is a PSA 9 worth? ›
Then a PSA 8 is worth $100. A PSA 9 is worth $300.
What does Grade 9 mean in cards? ›If your card gets a grade of 9, you should be very happy. You'll be able to earn book value – or more – for your card. It is also referred to as “mint 9” and is considered the condition that it was in when it was in the pack. If it gets a score of 9.5, it's called a “gem-mint”, signifying that it's nearly flawless.
What is the difference between PSA 9.5 and 10? ›The average PSA 10 sells at least 2.5x more than a BGS 9.5.
Even though a few of those cards with a BGS 9.5 grade would typically get a PSA 10 when sent to PSA. PSA 10 cards scored anything from 91 – 100 on the grading scale, while BGS 9.5 cards received 91 – 96.
How the Scale Works. PSA will add a half-point grade within each of the 1-10 numbers with the exception of a 9.5 grade.
Which is better PSA 1 or PSA 10? ›The Trading Card Authentication & Grading Process
If your cards pass authentication, PSA grades the condition of each card on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best. PSA encapsulates each card in its own sonically sealed, tamper-evident case.
Class 9 is comparatively tougher than class 10th. In class 9 you'll get pretty no. Of new concepts to be learned in maths and science but in class 10th there are various concepts which are being revised that you have studied in your earlier classes with certain modifications in them.
Why grade 9 is the best? ›Experiencing ninth grade as the culminating year of middle school, rather than the bottom rung of high school, can be a great way for students to cement fundamental skills and build the confidence to move on and have a successful high school experience.
Is Class 10 harder than 9? ›It is an acknowledged fact that class 9 is a little more difficult than class 10 since it deals with a whole lot of basics that are absolutely new to class 8 pass-outs.
What age is Grade 9 10? ›| GRADE | AGE APPROPRIATE | 2023 – 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 8 | Age 13 – 14 | Sept 2009 – Aug 2010 |
| Grade 9 | Age 14 – 15 | Sept 2008 – Aug 2009 |
| Grade 10 | Age 15 – 16 | Sept 2007 – Aug 2008 |
| Grade 11 | Age 16 – 17 | Sept 2006 – Aug 2007 |
| Age | UK Years | US/International Grades |
|---|---|---|
| 13 - 14 | Year 9 | 8th Grade |
| 14 - 15 | Year 10 | 9th Grade (Freshman) |
| 15 - 16 | Year 11 | 10th Grade (Sophomore) |
| 16 - 17 | Year 12 / Lower 6th | 11th Grade (Junior) |
Why is year 10 important? ›
Year 10 exams are useful for students because they get to understand: Which parts of the curriculum they know and understand well. Which parts of the curriculum they need to pay more attention to. Practice their revision skills before they get into year 11.
What PSA number is too high? ›There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood. In the past, PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower were considered normal. However, some individuals with PSA levels below 4.0 ng/mL have prostate cancer and many with higher PSA levels between 4 and 10 ng/mL do not have prostate cancer (1).
What percentage of cards graded by PSA are a 10? ›Around 2.5 percent of them are PSA 10s.
Is a 9.5 graded card good? ›A 9.5 is considered “Gem Mint” for a reason and it's because it's very difficult to obtain.
Does having a card graded make it worth more? ›Much to the surprise of novice collectors, getting cards graded does not always increase their value. In fact, most cards, once graded, will return less than if they were sold raw. *Note: If you're looking for an explanation of the grading system and its intricacies, we've got a separate page for all that.
What is the rarest PSA 10 card? ›As of August 2022, the most expensive Pokémon card is a Professional Sports Authenticator grade 10 Pikachu Illustrator card that social media personality and boxer Logan Paul purchased for $5.275 million, according to Guinness World Records. A PSA grade of 10 means the card was in perfect condition.
What is the most reliable card grading company? ›1. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) In the current state of the hobby, PSA is undoubtedly number one on the list of the top trading card grading companies. They slab over 2 million cards a year, which is more than any other company.
Why are PSA 10 cards so expensive? ›PSA grading is expensive because they use a 10-point grading process to grade and value cards. Not every grading company has such an extensive grading process. Since PSA does, it makes its services a bit more expensive.
What does 9 mean in grading? ›9 to 1 grading
The way GCSEs are graded changed in 2017. They're graded using 9 to 1, rather than A* to G. Grade 9 is the highest grade. Ofqual's GCSE grading diagrams outline the changes and also provide some useful guide for parents.
The highest grade is now 9, while 1 is the lowest. The U grade, meaning "ungraded", remains the same. The number scale is not directly equivalent to the old letter one.
Do Grade 9 grades count? ›
Pretty much every college will see your teen's grades from the first year of high school as part of their transcript review. Even universities that emphasizes tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade grades when they evaluate applicants for admission will still see ninth grade marks on transcripts.
What level of PSA is recommended? ›The normal range is between 1.0 and 1.5 ng/ml. An abnormal rise: A PSA score may also be considered abnormal if it rises a certain amount in a single year. For example, if your score rises more than 0.35 ng/ml in a single year, your doctor may recommend further testing.
Is higher or lower PSA better? ›According to Cancer.org, a low PSA level is a sign of good prostate and overall health, while a high PSA level is a sign of risk of prostate cancer. As such, a low PSA level is ideal.
Does PSA really matter? ›Detecting certain types of prostate cancer early can be critical. Elevated PSA results may reveal prostate cancer that's likely to spread to other parts of your body (metastasize), or they may reveal a quick-growing cancer that's likely to cause other problems.
What does a Grade 10 card mean? ›For a card to earn a 10, the edges of a card must be flawless to the naked eye and virtually perfect when looked at under magnification. Surface. The final criteria looked at by card graders is the surface of the card. A card's surface is susceptible to loss of glossiness, wax stains, scratching, and printing defects.
What is Grade 10 cards? ›Numeric Grades. A Perfect 10 is a card that has received the grade of Gem Mint 10 with all four grading criteria — centering, corners, edges and surface — being 10. This “quad 10” is the best a card can be, and flawless under 10x magnification.
Is Grade 10 harder than 9? ›Class 9 is comparatively tougher than class 10th. In class 9 you'll get pretty no. Of new concepts to be learned in maths and science but in class 10th there are various concepts which are being revised that you have studied in your earlier classes with certain modifications in them.
Are PSA 9 cards worth buying? ›If it's grading mostly PSA 10's (like with Red's Pikachu and some other modern cards), then getting a PSA 9 is just not worth it. If it's evenly balanced or there are less 10's, it may not be a bad value proposition. If 9s and 10s are both pretty scarce for that card, but the 10 is way more pricey, go for the 9.
Is it hard to get a 10 graded card? ›It's hard to get a PSA 10 rating for your card. To get that rating, your card would have to be perfect in almost every regard when it comes to grading standards. This means that it would have to have perfect corners, centering, surface, and all other aspects also need to be perfected.
Which card grading is better? ›1. Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) In the current state of the hobby, PSA is undoubtedly number one on the list of the top trading card grading companies. They slab over 2 million cards a year, which is more than any other company.
What is the difference between BGS 9.5 and PSA 10? ›
PSA 10 cards scored anything from 91 – 100 on the grading scale, while BGS 9.5 cards received 91 – 96. BGS reserves the perfect 10-score grading for really “perfect” cards without blemish, while PSA leaves a greater leeway.
What percentage of cards are graded 10? ›Around 2.5 percent of them are PSA 10s.
What grade 10 is called? ›Sophomore Year (10th grade) Junior Year (11th grade) Senior Year (12th grade)
What makes a card a PSA 10? ›A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doens't impair the overall appeal of the card.
Why Grade 9 is the best? ›Experiencing ninth grade as the culminating year of middle school, rather than the bottom rung of high school, can be a great way for students to cement fundamental skills and build the confidence to move on and have a successful high school experience.
Is 10th grade really matter? ›Do 10th marks matter in life? They certainly do. The marks are significant in some circumstances, but not in others. Students must work hard and earn good grades in order to be admitted to the courses they desire.
Is grade 10 grade important? ›Grade 10 is a very important year. It is the year students begin to meet their graduation requirements. In grade 10, the courses needed for graduation are: English Language Arts: Composition 10, New Media - and Creative Writing.