In sports cards, PSA stands for Professional Sports Authenticator, the company that checks that cards are genuine, grades their condition on a 1 to 10 scale and seals them in a tamper-evident plastic case. When a collector says a card is a “PSA 10,” they mean PSA graded it Gem Mint, its highest grade.
PSA is the largest of the major sports card grading companies. It was founded in 1991 to bring third-party grading to sports cards, and it graded more than 19 million cards in 2025. Its parent company, Collectors, also owns the grading companies SGC (bought in 2024) and Beckett (a deal announced in December 2025). Learn more about Collectors and PSA here.
Outside the hobby, PSA usually means “public service announcement” (you’ll see it in texts and social posts) or a prostate-specific antigen blood test. This page is about the card grader.
PSA grades sports cards and trading card game cards like Pokémon, and it authenticates and grades autographs and other memorabilia under its PSA/DNA name. Learn more about grading sports cards here.
What does PSA actually do to a card?
When you send a card to PSA, three things happen:
- Authentication: PSA checks that the card is genuine and hasn’t been altered, for example trimmed, recolored or had its corners reshaped.
- Grading: Graders assess the card’s condition (centering, corners, edges and surface) and assign a grade from 1 to 10.
- Encapsulation: The card is sealed in a tamper-evident plastic holder, known in the hobby as a slab, with a label showing the card, its grade and a unique certification number.
If a card is genuine but altered, for example trimmed or recolored, PSA won’t give it a number grade. PSA can still slab it as “Authentic”, or as “Authentic Altered” if you asked for that on the submission form; otherwise it comes back ungraded.
PSA grades at a glance
| Grade | Name | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | Gem Mint | A virtually perfect card: sharp corners, full gloss, no staining, centered within about 55/45 on the front |
| PSA 9 | Mint | A superb card with only one minor flaw |
| PSA 8 | Near Mint-Mint | Looks like a 9 at first glance, with slight flaws on closer inspection |
| PSA 7 | Near Mint | Slight surface wear and slight fraying on some corners |
| PSA 1 to 6 | Poor to Excellent-Mint | Increasing wear, from light scratches down to heavy creases and missing pieces |
PSA also gives half grades between 2 and 9 (a PSA 8.5, for example), but there’s no PSA 9.5. Because PSA is the most widely recognized grading company, a PSA 10 of a popular card can sell for many times more than the same card raw or in a PSA 9. For every grade and what graders look for, see the PSA grading scale explained. To estimate what grade your own card might get, try our card grading calculator.
How much does PSA grading cost?
PSA prices by service level. Each level has a maximum card value, and faster service costs more. As of September 2026:
- Standard: $59.99 per card, for cards worth up to $1,000, with an estimated turnaround of 90 to 100 business days. This is the cheapest level open right now.
- Priority: $79.99 per card, for cards worth up to $1,500.
- Express and up: from $199 per card, for faster turnaround and higher-value cards.
PSA’s cheaper Value tiers have been paused since June 2, 2026 while it works through a backlog of millions of cards. Prices change often, so check PSA’s site before you send anything. Our guide on how to submit cards to PSA walks through the form, packing and shipping.
PSA pop reports and cert numbers
PSA publishes a population report showing how many copies of each card it has graded at each grade. That’s where terms like Pop 1 come from. A low population in a high grade can make a card much more valuable.
Every PSA slab also has a certification number on its label. Before buying a PSA-graded card, look that number up on PSA’s website to confirm the card, grade and images match the slab in front of you. Fake slabs and swapped labels do exist.
Is PSA the only option?
No. Other well-known grading companies include CGC, Beckett (BGS), SGC and TAG. CGC is the second-largest grader and the biggest one Collectors doesn’t own. PSA is usually the default choice for cards you might sell, because buyers recognize the brand and PSA-graded cards tend to have the most sales history to comp against. Compare the options in our guide to card grading companies.
FAQ
What does PSA 10 mean for cards?
PSA 10 is Gem Mint, the top grade on PSA’s scale. PSA describes it as a virtually perfect card: four sharp corners, sharp focus, full original gloss and no staining, with centering no worse than about 55/45 on the front and 75/25 on the back. A slight printing imperfection is allowed if it doesn’t hurt the card’s look.
How much does PSA charge for a $1,000 card?
A card worth up to $1,000 fits PSA’s Standard level, which costs $59.99 as of September 2026. Declare the card’s real value. If PSA decides a card is worth more than the level’s limit, it moves the card up a level and bills you the difference.
Who owns PSA?
PSA is owned by Collectors, a private company formerly called Collectors Universe. An investor group including Nat Turner and Steve Cohen bought it in 2021. Collectors also owns SGC and Beckett, which means one company now owns three of the five biggest card graders.
Is a PSA 7 a good grade?
It depends on the card. For a modern card pulled from a pack last year, a PSA 7 (Near Mint) is disappointing, because most copies of the same card grade higher. For a vintage card from the 1950s or 1960s, a PSA 7 is a strong grade and can sell for a lot more than lower grades.
Buying graded cards? Here’s how to spot a fake PSA slab, even one with a real cert number.
