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The measurable parts of collecting — what PSA actually publishes, what a photograph can and cannot tell you, and the arithmetic behind the numbers Cardient shows you.
Aug 2026
PSA grading Pokémon cards: what actually decides the grade
PSA weighs four things, and only one of them can be measured before you post the card. Here are PSA's published centering tolerances, the 5% rule that explains why half the hobby says 55/45 and the other half 60/40, and what a photo genuinely cannot tell you.
Aug 2026
How to measure Pokémon card centering (and the mistake that ruins the number)
The arithmetic is one line long. The hard part is that photographing a card at a slight angle makes a perfectly centred card measure off-centre — so most people measure their camera rather than their card. Here is how to do it properly.
Aug 2026
What makes a card a PSA 10?
Gem Mint does not mean flawless, 55/45 and 60/40 are both correct answers to the centering question, and the 10 is the only grade where the back of the card can cost you anything. What the top grade actually requires.