TAG centering for trading card games
These limits apply to Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Lorcana and other TCG cards. Each side is judged on its worse axis.
| Grade | Front centering (worse axis) | Back centering (worse axis) |
|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 Pristine | 51/49 or better | 52/48 or better |
| TAG 10 Gem Mint | 55/45 or better | 65/35 or better |
| TAG 9 Mint | 60/40 or better | 75/25 or better |
| TAG 8.5 NM-MT+ | 62.5/37.5 or better | 85/15 or better |
| TAG 8 NM-MT | 65/35 or better | 95/5 or better |
| TAG 7.5 Near Mint+ | 67.5/32.5 or better | No limit published |
| TAG 7 Near Mint | 70/30 or better | No limit published |
TAG centering for sports and other non-TCG cards
The front limits match the TCG table. The back limits are looser, and below 8.5 TAG publishes a front limit only.
| Grade | Front centering (worse axis) | Back centering (worse axis) |
|---|---|---|
| TAG 10 Pristine | 51/49 or better | 54.5/45.5 or better |
| TAG 10 Gem Mint | 55/45 or better | 70/30 or better |
| TAG 9 Mint | 60/40 or better | 90/10 or better |
| TAG 8.5 NM-MT+ | 62.5/37.5 or better | 95/5 or better |
| TAG 8 NM-MT | 65/35 or better | No limit published |
| TAG 7.5 Near Mint+ | 67.5/32.5 or better | No limit published |
| TAG 7 Near Mint | 70/30 or better | No limit published |
Below 7, TAG keeps publishing front limits in half-grade steps for both kinds of card: about 72.5/27.5 for a 6.5, 75/25 for a 6, 80/20 for a 5, and down to about 98.33/1.67 for a 1.5. TAG writes every figure as an approximate tolerance.
Pristine 10 vs Gem Mint 10
TAG has two different 10s. Gem Mint 10 uses the same 55/45 front limit as a PSA 10. Pristine 10 asks for about 51/49, which is nearly perfect. On a card with 3mm borders, 51/49 allows a difference of only about 0.12mm between opposite borders, so a Pristine 10 is close to impossible to confirm with a ruler. A straight-on photo measured by software is the practical way to check it at home.
TCG backs get a tighter limit
At every grade where TAG publishes a back limit, the TCG figure is tighter than the sports figure. For a Gem Mint 10 that means about 65/35 on a Pokémon back versus about 70/30 on a baseball card back. A back measuring 67/33 passes for a sports card and fails for a TCG card, so pick the right card type before you measure.
How to check your card against TAG limits
- Photograph the front and back straight down on a plain surface, out of the sleeve.
- Upload both to the free card centering calculator and choose TCG or sports so the right TAG back limits are used.
- If you are aiming for Pristine, look at the measured millimeters as well as the ratio. A difference of more than about a tenth of a millimeter between opposite borders rules it out.
Wondering whether TAG is worth it? Read is TAG grading legit and our grading companies comparison.
Sources, checked October 2026: TAG grading rubric, TAG help: how do I get a Pristine 10?
