BGS centering subgrades
Beckett compares each side of the card separately. For the front, the 9.5 is the only level that asks for different numbers on the two axes. For every other level, the worse axis decides.
| Grade | Front centering (worse axis) | Back centering (worse axis) |
|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 Pristine | 50/50 or better | 55/45 or better |
| BGS 9.5 Gem Mint | 50/50 one way, 55/45 the other | 60/40 or better |
| BGS 9 Mint | 55/45 or better | 70/30 or better |
| BGS 8 NM-MT | 60/40 or better | 80/20 or better |
| BGS 7 Near Mint | 65/35 or better | 90/10 or better |
| BGS 6 EX-MT | 70/30 or better | 95/5 or better |
| BGS 5 Excellent | 75/25 or better | 95/5 or better |
| BGS 4 VG-EX | 80/20 or better | Any |
| BGS 3 Very Good | 85/15 or better | Any |
| BGS 2 Good | 90/10 or better | Any |
Beckett describes its scale as general guidelines rather than strict rules, and it awards half-point subgrades (8.5, 7.5 and so on) for cards that sit between two published levels without publishing separate numbers for them. Beckett's older grading scale page lists the Pristine 10 back as 60/40, while the current standards page says 55/45. We use the newer, stricter figure.
Why the 9.5 trips up so many cards
The 9.5 requires one front axis to be dead center. A card that measures 55/45 in both directions is a 9 centering subgrade, not a 9.5, even though 55/45 would pass for a PSA 10. Only a card that is 50/50 one way and no worse than 55/45 the other reaches 9.5. In practice that means you need to measure both axes carefully and know which one is the good one.
| Front left/right | Front top/bottom | Back (worse axis) | BGS centering subgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50/50 | 50/50 | 54/46 | 10 Pristine |
| 50/50 | 54/46 | 58/42 | 9.5 |
| 53/47 | 55/45 | 58/42 | 9 (neither front axis is 50/50) |
| 58/42 | 52/48 | 65/35 | 8 |
How the centering subgrade affects the overall grade
A BGS label shows four subgrades for centering, corners, edges and surface, plus an overall grade. The lowest subgrade weighs heavily on the overall grade, so a 9 on centering usually stops a card from reaching a 9.5 overall even when the other three subgrades are 9.5 or 10. A Black Label needs all four subgrades at Pristine 10, which includes the 50/50 front centering.
How to check your card against BGS limits
- Photograph the front and back straight down, out of the sleeve, on a plain contrasting surface.
- Upload both to the free card centering calculator. It measures every border to a fraction of a millimeter and applies the 9.5 rule for you.
- Look at both front axes. If neither is close to 50/50, expect a 9 centering subgrade at best and weigh up whether BGS is the right company. Our card grading companies guide compares them.
Sources, checked October 2026: Beckett grading standards, Beckett grading scale.
