What Is Card Centering?
One of the four key grading criteria — how centering is measured, why it matters, and how to assess it before submitting cards for grading.
Card centering refers to how evenly the printed image is positioned within the card's borders. A perfectly centred card has equal border widths on all four sides — left and right, top and bottom. In reality, the printing and cutting process introduces slight variations, meaning few cards are truly perfectly centred. Centering is one of the four main criteria used by professional grading companies (PSA, BGS, CGC), and poor centering can significantly reduce a card's grade even if the corners, edges, and surface are flawless. For collectors who grade cards, understanding centering is essential knowledge.
How Centering Is Measured
Centering is expressed as a ratio comparing the border widths on opposite sides of the card. For example, 60/40 centering means one border is 60% of the total left-right border space and the other is 40%. Perfect centering would be 50/50. This ratio is measured for both the left-right axis and the top-bottom axis, and both the front and back of the card are assessed.
PSA's centering standards allow up to 60/40 on the front and 75/25 on the back for a PSA 10 Gem Mint grade. BGS is generally stricter on centering, with tighter tolerances required for a 10 subgrade. CGC falls between the two. These thresholds mean that a card with visible centering issues — where one border is noticeably wider than the opposite — will score poorly in the centering category.
Measuring centering at home is straightforward. Place the card on a flat, well-lit surface and compare the left border width to the right border width. Then compare the top to the bottom. You can use a ruler or dedicated centering tool for precise measurement. Some collectors use phone apps that overlay a centering grid on a photo of the card for quick assessment.
Why Centering Matters for Grading
Centering is one of the four subgrade categories assessed by BGS and CGC (Centering, Corners, Edges, Surface). For PSA, centering is factored into the overall grade without a visible subgrade. Poor centering can single-handedly prevent a card from achieving a top grade, regardless of the condition of the other three categories.
The impact of centering on value is substantial. A card that scores 10 in Corners, Edges, and Surface but only 8.5 in Centering might receive a BGS 9.5 overall instead of a potential BGS 10. The value difference between these grades can be enormous — sometimes five to ten times or more for sought-after cards. This makes centering assessment a critical step in deciding whether to submit a card for grading.
It is important to remember that centering is a manufacturing issue, not a handling issue. Unlike surface scratches or corner damage, centering cannot be improved or repaired after the card is printed and cut. You either have a well-centred card or you do not. This is why many collectors check centering first when evaluating potential grading candidates — if the centering fails, there is nothing you can do about it.
Front vs Back Centering
Both front and back centering are assessed during grading, though front centering typically carries more weight because it is what viewers see first. A card with perfect front centering and moderately off-centre back centering will still score reasonably well. However, a card with poor front centering is unlikely to achieve a top grade regardless of its back centering.
Back centering is often worse than front centering because the printing process aligns primarily to the front of the card. The back design is printed separately and may not align perfectly with the front image. For this reason, grading standards are more lenient on back centering — PSA allows up to 75/25 on the back for a Gem Mint grade, compared to 60/40 on the front.
When evaluating a card for grading potential, always check both sides. A common mistake is to examine only the front, fall in love with perfect centering, and then discover that the back is severely off-centre. This can be a disappointing surprise when the grade comes back lower than expected.
Tips for Assessing Centering Before Grading
Before submitting a card for grading, assess its centering honestly. Hold the card at eye level under good lighting and compare opposite borders. If the difference between left and right (or top and bottom) borders is visible without measurement, the centering likely falls outside the thresholds for a perfect grade.
Invest in a centering tool or app if you submit cards regularly. These tools provide precise measurements and take the guesswork out of the process. Some popular options include physical centering templates that you place over the card and digital tools that analyse photographs. Knowing the exact ratio before submitting helps you set realistic grade expectations.
Store your best-centred cards carefully in penny sleeves inside DeckSentry toploaders. Since centering is fixed at the factory, protecting a well-centred card from handling damage to its corners, edges, and surface is the only way to maximise its grading potential. A well-centred card with damaged corners is a missed opportunity — protect the things you can control.
Key Takeaways
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