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Pokémon card centering checker

Find out whether your Pokémon card is centered well enough for a PSA 10 before you pay to grade it. Upload a photo of the front and back and get the centering ratios plus the best PSA, BGS and TAG grade they allow. It is free and runs entirely in your browser.

Measure centering from a photo

Upload the front and back. The card is found, straightened and measured to a fraction of a millimeter in your browser, with the same engine as the Binder AI app. Your photos are never uploaded.

Front of the card

Photograph the card straight down on a plain surface, out of the sleeve if you can. A flatbed scan works too.

Back of the card

Photograph the card straight down on a plain surface, out of the sleeve if you can. A flatbed scan works too.

No photo? Measure each border at its narrowest point. Use any unit (millimeters, inches or pixels from a straight-on photo) as long as you use the same one for all four sides.

Front borders
Back borders
Card type (TAG uses different back limits)
Front left/right55.2/44.8
Front top/bottom51.7/48.3
Back left/right60.3/39.7
Back top/bottom53.4/46.6

Best grade centering allows

  • PSAPSA 10 Gem Mint
  • BGS (Beckett)BGS 9 Mint
  • TAG (TCG)TAG 10 Gem Mint

Centering sets a ceiling, not a grade: corners, edges and surface can still pull a card lower. Limits are each company's published guidelines, compared at the nearest half percent; graders may allow small variances.

Check corners, edges and surface too with Binder AI

Pokémon centering limits at a glance

GradeFrontBack
PSA 10 Gem Mint55/45 or better75/25 or better
BGS 9.5 Gem Mint50/50 one way, 55/45 the other60/40 or better
TAG 10 Gem Mint (TCG)55/45 or better65/35 or better

Full tables for every grade are in our guides to PSA 10 centering, BGS centering and TAG centering.

Tips for measuring Pokémon cards

  • Use a dark background. Yellow and silver borders stand out clearly against a dark mat, which helps the tool find the exact card edge.
  • Watch for glare on holo and foil cards. Tilt the light, not the phone, until the border is free of reflections.
  • Measure the back too. The Pokémon card back has a blue border that is easy to measure, and back centering can still cap a perfect front.
  • Check both axes. Many Pokémon cards are centered left to right but shifted top to bottom. The worse axis is the one graders use.

Is centering the only thing that matters?

No. Pokémon cards are especially prone to whitening on the back edges and corners, and holo cards often show surface scratches. Centering tells you whether a 10 is possible at all. To check corners, edges and surface too, read how to grade Pokémon cards or scan the card with Binder AI, which estimates all four subgrades from the same two photos.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the centering of a Pokémon card?

Take the card out of its sleeve, lay it flat on a dark surface and photograph the front and back straight down. Upload both photos above. The tool finds the card, corrects the angle and measures the four borders on each side, then shows the ratios and the best grade centering allows.

What centering does a Pokémon card need for a PSA 10?

About 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the back, measured on the worse axis of each side. See our PSA 10 centering requirements for every grade.

Do TAG centering limits differ for Pokémon cards?

Yes. TAG publishes tighter back limits for trading card games than for sports cards. A TAG Gem Mint 10 Pokémon card needs about 55/45 on the front and 65/35 on the back. See TAG centering standards.

Can I check centering on a Full Art or Illustration Rare?

Usually yes. Most Pokémon cards, including Full Art and Special Illustration Rares, have a thin printed border around the edge that the tool can measure. If no border is found, drag the guides to a printed line that should sit evenly, such as the frame of the artwork.

Are Japanese Pokémon cards graded on the same centering limits?

Yes. Grading companies use the same ratios for Japanese and English cards. Centering is a ratio of opposite borders, so it works the same whether the borders are wide or narrow, but a narrow border means a small shift changes the ratio more.

Does the tool upload my photos?

No. The measurement runs in your browser on your own device, and nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

Related

Card centering calculatorThe same tool for sports cards and every other trading card.Read more →Pokémon card gradingHow Pokémon cards are graded and which company to use.Read more →PSA 10 centering requirementsFront and back limits for every PSA grade.Read more →

Grade your Pokémon cards from two photos

Binder AI estimates centering, corners, edges and surface from two photos, identifies the card and shows recent sold prices. Free to download; grading is included with a subscription from $1.99/week.

Download Binder AI on the App StoreGet Binder AI on Google Play

Prefer the web? Start grading in your browser. AI grades are estimates, not official grades.