GR-0462-Background Red HeaderHalftone Dekstop v4

CGC Grading Scales

CGC uses highly accurate, industry standard 10-point grading scales to evaluate TCGs, sports cards, comics, magazines, home media, and more. Below are CGC's grading standards for each collectible type and numeric grade, along with other designations used to describe the condition of collectibles.

Cards
Comics
Video Games
Home Video

Card Grading Scale

Pristine 10	A Pristine 10 is a virtually flawless card to the naked eye. The centering is 50/50, and the card has flawless color and registration. All cards that merit a CGC Pristine 10 grade will receive a special CGC Pristine 10 label.
Gem Mint 10	A Gem Mint 10 is a card that has received a 10 grade overall; however, one of the grading criteria does not meet the requirements of a Pristine 10. Corners will appear perfect to the naked eye and Mint+ under 10x magnification. The surface is free of print spots and should also display perfect gloss, devoid of any surface flaws. Centering is not to exceed approximately 55/45, and reverse centering is not to exceed 75/25.
Mint+ 9.5	A Mint+ 9.5 is a card that displays premium eye appeal for a Mint card. Qualities such as exceptional centering, surface qualities/color or other key elements can elevate a card to a Mint+ grade.
Mint 9	A Mint card has four sharp corners with only minor wear visible. Slight minor flaws on the edges may be visible. The surface must have all original gloss; however, a small number of specks or one minor spot or surface defect is allowed. For TCG cards, cards will have only a few minor manufacturing or handling defects. For sports and non-sports cards, centering must be 60/40 or better for the front of the card, and 90/10 for the back.
NM/Mint+ 8.5	A card graded 8.5 has relatively smooth edges with only minor touches of wear. It must have original color borders and gloss. One of the following very minor flaws is allowed: corners are sharp to the naked eye but reveal slight imperfections under magnification; a small amount of minor print spots; subtle focus imperfections of the image. A very slight diamond cut is allowed. TCG cards could show small handing defects.
NM/Mint 8	A card graded 8 must have relatively smooth edges with only minor touches of wear. It must have original color borders and gloss. One of the following very minor flaws is allowed: corners are sharp to the naked eye but reveal slight imperfections under magnification; a small amount of minor print spots; subtle focus imperfections of the image. A very slight diamond cut is allowed. TCG cards could have small-to-moderate handling defects. For sports and non-sports cards, centering must be 65/35 or better.
Near Mint+ 7.5	A card graded 7.5 may also have a touch of wear on two or three corners or slightly rough edges. The image may be slightly out of register. A slight diamond cut is allowed, and very slight wax staining is allowed on the reverse. TCG cards could have a moderate defect or a number of small handling defects. For sports and non-sports cards, 65/35 centering is allowed.
Near Mint 7	A card graded 7 may also have a touch of wear on three or more corners and/or slightly rough edges. The image may be slightly out of register. A slight diamond cut is allowed, and very slight wax staining is allowed on the reverse. For sports and non-sports cards, centering should be 70/30 or better.
Ex/NM+ 6.5	For a grade of 6.5, no more than one slightly “dinged” corner is allowed, or no more than two of the following flaws: two or three fuzzy corners; slightly rough edges; noticeable print spots. A moderate diamond cut is allowed, and light wax staining on the front is acceptable.
Ex/NM 6	For a grade of 6, no more than one “dinged” corner is allowed or no more than two of the following flaws: two or three fuzzy corners; slightly rough edges; noticeable print spots. A moderate diamond cut is allowed, and wax staining on the front is acceptable. For sports and non-sports cards, centering may be no worse than 75/25.
Excellent+ 5.5	At 5.5, the corners may exhibit light “fuzzyness” and very minor rounding. The corners may come to a point but may have one or two “dinged” corners. There may also be chipping on the edges, minor border discoloration, noticeable print spots and/or color or focus imperfections on the surface.
Excellent 5	At 5, the corners may exhibit “fuzzyness” and very minor rounding. The corners may come to a point but may have two to three “dinged” corners. There may also be chipping on the edges, minor border discoloration, noticeable print spots and/or color or focus imperfections on the surface. On cards with scratch-off surfaces, the coating may be removed, but the surface is not damaged.
VG/Ex+ 4.5	At 4.5, the corners may display slight rounding. Noticeable surface flaws may include scuffing, scratches or one light crease. While some original surface gloss may be visible, the borders may be off-white, and a small amount of minor staining is allowed. For sports and non-sports cards, the centering is 85/15, and an extremely noticeable diamond cut is allowed.
VG/Ex 4	At 4, corners may display slight rounding. Noticeable surface flaws may include scuffing, scratches and one or more light creases. While some original surface gloss may be visible, borders may be off-white, and some minor staining is allowed. An extremely noticeable diamond cut is allowed. At 4.5, the corners may display slight rounding. Noticeable surface flaws may include scuffing, scratches or one light crease. While some original surface gloss may be visible, the borders may be off-white, and a small amount of minor staining is allowed. For sports and non-sports cards, the centering is 85/15, and an extremely noticeable diamond cut is allowed.
Very Good+ 3.5	A Very Good+ card may have 90/10 centering and four rounded corners, but not extreme rounding. The surface may exhibit one moderate crease or more than one light crease, and may also display scuffing or scratches and loss of original gloss. The edges may have moderate wear, and moderate staining of the stock can be visible.
Very Good 3	A Very Good card can have four rounded corners, but not extreme rounding. The surface may exhibit one moderate crease or more than one light crease, and may also display scuffing or scratches and loss of original gloss. The edges may have moderate wear, and heavier staining of the stock can be visible on both the front and back of the card.
Good+ 2.5	A card graded Good+ may have heavier creasing, but the creasing does not travel across the surface from edge to edge. The card may also have some surface damage such as one small writing mark on the back. An extremely heavy diamond cut resulting in a near miscut is allowed.
Good 2	A card graded Good can have heavier creasing that may travel across the surface of the card from edge to edge. The card may also have some surface damage such as a small amount of writing on the front or back. An extremely heavy diamond cut resulting in a near miscut is allowed.
Fair 1.5	A Fair card can have one catastrophic flaw such as a staple hole, small area of missing surface, severe creasing and/or writing on the surface. The card may be miscut.
Poor 1	A Poor card may suffer from major surface damage such as severe creasing that breaks the surface, and/or it may be missing a small portion of the cardstock itself such as a portion of the corner that has been torn away from the card. The card will have multiple catastrophic flaws.

In certain circumstances, CGC Cards will assign designations to cards based on authenticity and/or alterations.

Authentic AU	The Authentic designation is used for cards that are authentic and unaltered but cannot receive a numeric grade. An example is a card with a missing portion of stock, such as when a card that was meant to be hand cut falls below the published measurement tolerance, like an early 20th century strip card. Authentic will also be used if a card is below the minimum size requirements.
Authentic Altered AA	CGC Cards will print Authentic Altered in the grade box if a card is authentic but has been altered. Examples of alterations include recoloring and trimming.
Authentic ART ART	The Authentic ART designation is used for cards with custom art applied to the surface. The card may be an authentic trading card, a custom card, or a blank sketch card. To qualify for the Authentic ART designation, the card must originate from an individual with a CGC Artist Account or from a qualified CGC Signature Series submission. The artist's signature may be graded numerically or designated authentic (AU) based on the submitter's request.

Autographs are graded on a 5 to 10 scale with no half grades.

10	A 10 is a flawless autograph. Characteristics include prominent pen pressure throughout, and no streaking or smudging of any kind. The autograph location is perfectly placed outside of any dark area and doesn’t run off of the item.
9	Some imperfections are noticeable, but the signature is still strongly displayed on the item. Slight smearing and/or smudging may exist and a small tip of the signature may run off the item.
8	Some imperfections are noticeable, but the signature is still strongly displayed on the item. Slight smearing and/or smudging may exist and a small tip of the signature may run off the item.
7	Although a strong signature, there are multiple minor flaws throughout including fading, smudging and/or blemishes or wear of the autograph. A portion of the autograph may run off the item.
6	The signature is still complete and visible; however, apparent imperfections are noticeable. Several letters of the autograph may run off of the item, and imperfections are clearly visible.
5	The signature exhibits heavy aging where less than a quarter of the signature might be missing entirely.
Authentic AU	The Authentic designation is used for autographs that are authentic but not numerically graded. Submitters can choose to have an autograph graded or not graded, but if it is deemed below an autograph grade of 5, the autograph grade will default to the Authentic designation.

The CGC Grading Scale for cards was updated to reflect current industry standards. Below is a key for legacy grades that are no longer used by CGC. The CGC Population Report and the CGC Registries for cards reflect the updated grading scale.

Legacy Grade	Updated Grade
CGC Trading Cards Gem Mint 9.5	CGC Gem Mint 10
CSG Gem Mint 9.5	CGC Gem Mint 10
CGC Trading Cards Perfect 10	Retired grade; retains Perfect 10 status
CSG Perfect 10	Retired grade; retains Prefect 10 status

Comic Grading Scale

Note: The comic grading scale is also used for magazines, pulps, and concert posters.

Gem Mint 10	The highest grade assigned. The collectible must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects.
Mint 9.9	The collectible is nearly indistinguishable from a 10.0 but will have a very minor manufacturing defect. It will not have any evidence of handling defects.
NM/M 9.8	A nearly perfect collectible with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
NM+ 9.6	A very well-preserved collectible with several minor manufacturing or handling defects.
NM 9.4	A very well-preserved collectible with minor wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
NM- 9.2	A very well-preserved collectible with some wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
VF/NM 9.0	A very well-preserved collectible with good eye appeal. There will be a number of minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
VF+ 8.5	An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
VF 8.0	An attractive collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
VF- 7.5	An above-average collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
FN/VF 7.0	An above-average collectible with a major defect or an accumulation of small defects.
FN+ 6.5	An above-average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects.
FN 6.0	A slightly above-average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects, or a significant accumulation of small defects.
FN- 5.5	A slightly above-average collectible with several moderate defects.
VG/FN 5.0	An average collectible with several moderate defects.
VG+ 4.5	A slightly below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects.
VG 4.0	A below-average collectible with multiple moderate defects.
VG- 3.5	A below-average collectible with several major defects or an accumulation of multiple moderate defects.
G/VG 3.0	A collectible that shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
G+ 2.5	A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with multiple moderate-to-major defects.
G 2.0	A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous moderate-to-major defects.
G- 1.8	A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous major defects.
Fa/G 1.5	A collectible that shows extensive evidence of handling with a heavy accumulation of major defects.
Fa 1.0	A very poorly handled collectible with a heavy accumulation of major defects.
Poor 0.5	A heavily defaced collectible with a number major defects. Some pieces will also be missing.

White	Paper that appears the same or very near the same as the day it was printed. Only the slightest traces of aging are allowed to a small area, such as the corner. Most comic books printed after 1990 exhibit white pages due to the discontinued use of pulp paper in printing comic books at that time. Only a white page designation is allowed in the 10.0 grade.
Off-White to White	Paper that is still white, but exhibits very slight aging to the outer edges. A significant number of comic books from the mid ‘70s to late ‘80s exhibit this page quality. This designation is the lowest allowed in the 9.9 grade.
Off-White	Paper that exhibits very light aging through the middle of each page, or white pages that exhibit light aging to the outer edges. With rare exception, comic books considered for the grade of 9.8 or better must achieve at least an off-white page designation.
Cream to Off-White	Paper that appears white or off-white in the middle with aged outer edges, or exhibits an overall aged color that is more close to brown than white. This page quality is most prevalent in comic books from the ‘30s, 40’s and ‘50s, but also includes a significant number of Silver Age comic books as well.
Cream	Rarely given, this designation is for pages that are a uniform cream in color from the edges to the middle of each page. Early Silver Age DC’s tend to exhibit cream pages more often than other comics from the same time period.
Light Tan to Off-White	Paper that still appears off-white in the middle of each page, but the edges have developed a tanned appearance considerably darker than cream to off-white. This type of page quality is common among file copies, particularly from Dell and Harvey. A comic book cannot achieve a grade higher than 8.5 with this page quality.
Light Tan to Cream	Similar to light tan to off-white, but the center of each page exhibits a cream color, while the edges are darker.
Light Tan	Like cream pages, this category is for interior pages that exhibit a uniform color edges to middle, but are slightly darker than cream.
Tan to Off-White	Similar to light tan to off-white pages, but the edges of the pages are darker. The best grade a comic book can achieve with this page quality is 7.5.
Tan to Cream	The same as tan to off-white, but the center of the pages are darker.
Tan	Dark colored pages that exhibit a uniform tint from edges to middle.
Dark Tan to Off-White	Pages that are very dark on the edges, but still retain off-white color in the middle.
Dark Tan	Pages that exhibit a very dark, uniform tint from edges to middle, but show no signs of brittleness.
Brown to Off-White	Extremely dark pages that still exhibit off-white color in the middle, and yet do not show signs of brittleness.
Brown to Tan	Extremely dark pages with a slightly less dark tint to the middle of each page.
Brown	Pages that exhibit a uniform color of extreme darkness edges to middle, but do not show signs of brittleness.
Brown / Brittle	Pages that are uniformly extremely dark, but are beginning to show slight signs of brittleness, such as corner chipping or edge tears that have formed from handling.

CGC’s Restoration Grading Scale is a transparent system that is much more descriptive and accurate than before. Every type of restoration found on each book will be individually graded for quantity and quality, with a cumulative score determining the final restoration grade assigned.

Quality (Aesthetic) Scale

Determined by materials used and visual quality of work

Excellent A	Material used: rice paper, wheat paste, acrylic or water color, leafcasting Color match near perfect, no bleed through Piece fill seamless and correct thickness No fading, excessive whiteness, ripples, cockling, or ink smudges from cover or interior cleaning Book feels natural Near perfect staple alignment, or replaced exactly as they were Filled edges cut to look natural and even Cleaned staples or staples replaced with vintage staples Married cover/pages match in size and page quality. Professionally attached
Fine B	Material used: pencil, crayon, chalk, re-glossing agent, piece fill from cadavers Piece fill obvious upon close inspection, obvious to the touch Color touch obvious upon close inspection, or done with materials listed above Cover cleaning resulting in slight color fading or excessively white Interior cleaning resulting in slight puffiness, cockling, excessively white Enlarged staple holes, obviously crooked staples, or backwards staple insertion Replaced staples not vintage Married cover/pages do not match in size and/or page quality. Professionally attached
Poor C	Material used: glue, pen, marker, white out, white paper to fill missing pieces Piece fill obvious at arm’s length Bad color matching, use of pen or marker. Bleed through evident Cover cleaning resulting in washed out/speckled colors, moderate cockling and/or ripples New staple holes created upon reinsertion, or non-comic book staples used Married cover/pages poorly attached with non-professional materials

Quantity Scale

Determined primarily by extent of piece fill and color touch

Slight 1	All conservation work, re-glossing, interior lightening, piece fill no more than size of two bindery chips, light color touch in small areas like spine stress, corner crease or bindery chip fill. Married cover or interior pages/wraps (if other work is present)
Slight/Moderate 2	Piece fill up to the ½” x ½” and/or color touch covering up to 1” x 1”. Interior piece fill up to 1” x 1”
Moderate 3	Piece fill up to the size of 1” x 1” and/or color touch covering up to 2” x 2”. Interior piece fill up to 2” x 2”
Moderate/Extensive 4	Piece fill up to the size of 2” x 2” and/or color touch covering up to 4” x 4”. Interior piece fill up to 4” x 4”
Extensive 5	Any piece fill over 2” x 2” and/or color touch over 4” x 4”. Recreated interior pages or cover

Conservation Repairs

Conservation repairs are performed with the intent of preserving the structural or chemical integrity of a comic book using professional techniques and materials. It excludes aesthetic repairs such as color touch and piece fill. All conserved grades must satisfy the CGC quality scale of "A" and quantity scale of "1".

Tear seals
Spine split seals
Reinforcement
Piece reattachment
Some cover or interior cleaning (water or solvent)
Staples cleaned or replaced
Some leaf casting
De-acidification

Materials Used for Conservation Repairs

Rice paper
Wheat glue
Vintage staples
Archival tape

Video Game Grading Scale

10	CGC 10 is the highest grade assigned. The game must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects.
9.9	At CGC 9.9, the game is nearly indistinguishable from a 10 but will have a very minor manufacturing defect. It will not have any evidence of handling defects.
9.8	A CGC 9.8 is a nearly perfect game with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
9.6	A CGC 9.6 is a very well-preserved game with minor manufacturing or handling defects.
9.4	At CGC 9.4, the game is very well-preserved with several minor wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
9.2	A CGC 9.2 is a very well-preserved game with some wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
9.0	At CGC 9.0, the game is very well-preserved with good eye appeal, but there will be a number of minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
8.5	A CGC 8.5 is an attractive game with a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
8.0	A CGC 8.0 is an attractive game with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
7.5	At CGC 7.5, the game is above average with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
7.0	At CGC 7.0, the game is above average with a major defect or an accumulation of small defects.
6.5	A CGC 6.5 is an above average game with a major defect and some smaller defects or a significant accumulation of small defects.
6.0	A CGC 6.0 is a slightly above average game with a major defect and some smaller defects or a significant accumulation of small defects.
5.5	A CGC 5.5 is a slightly above average game with several moderate defects.
5.0	At CGC 5.0, the game is average with several moderate defects.
4.0	A CGC 4.0 is a below average game with multiple moderate defects.
3.0	At CGC 3.0, the game shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
2.0	At CGC 2.0, the game shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous moderate-to-major defects.
1.0	At CGC 1.0, the game is very poorly handled with a heavy accumulation of major defects.

The traditional method of sealing video games is plastic wrap, with variations in the types of seals used, including seams, overlaps, and Y-folds. CGC assigns letter grades to indicate the quality of a game’s seal.

A++	An A++ is a nearly perfect original seal with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
A+	An A+ is a very well-preserved seal with good eye appeal. There will be several minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
A	An A is an above-average original seal with a single defect or an accumulation of small defects.
B+	A B+ is an average original seal with a major defect or an accumulation of moderate defects.
B	A B is an original seal that shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
C+	A C+ is an original seal that shows significant evidence of handling with several major defects.
C	A C is a heavily defaced original seal with several major defects. Some pieces will also be missing.

Home Video Grading Scale

10	CGC 10 is the highest grade assigned. The collectible must have no evidence of any manufacturing or handling defects.
9.9	At CGC 9.9, the collectible is nearly indistinguishable from a 10 but will have a very minor manufacturing defect. It will not have any evidence of handling defects.
9.8	A CGC 9.8 is a nearly perfect collectible with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
9.6	A CGC 9.6 is a very well-preserved collectible with minor manufacturing or handling defects.
9.4	At CGC 9.4, the collectible is very well-preserved with several minor wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
9.2	A CGC 9.2 is a very well-preserved collectible with some wear and small manufacturing or handling defects.
9.0	At CGC 9.0, the collectible is very well-preserved with good eye appeal, but there will be a number of minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
8.5	A CGC 8.5 is an attractive collectible with a moderate defect or a number of small defects.
8.0	A CGC 8.0 is an attractive collectible with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
7.5	At CGC 7.5, the collectible is above average with a moderate defect or an accumulation of small defects.
7.0	At CGC 7.0, the collectible is above average with a major defect or an accumulation of small defects.
6.5	A CGC 6.5 is an above average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects or a significant accumulation of small defects.
6.0	A CGC 6.0 is a slightly above average collectible with a major defect and some smaller defects or a significant accumulation of small defects.
5.5	A CGC 5.5 is a slightly above average collectible with several moderate defects.
5.0	At CGC 5.0, the collectible is average with several moderate defects.
4.0	A CGC 4.0 is a below average collectible with multiple moderate defects.
3.0	At CGC 3.0, the collectible shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
2.0	At CGC 2.0, the collectible shows extensive evidence of handling with numerous moderate-to-major defects.
1.0	At CGC 1.0, the collectible is very poorly handled with a heavy accumulation of major defects.

With variations in the types of factory seals used, including seams, overlaps and Y-folds, CGC assigns letter grades to indicate the quality of a home video collectible’s seal. An Original “O” designation identifies a title that never came with a plastic seal.

A++	An A++ is a nearly perfect original seal with negligible handling or manufacturing defects.
A+	An A+ is a very well-preserved seal with good eye appeal. There will be several minor handling and/or manufacturing defects.
A	An A is an above-average original seal with a single defect or an accumulation of small defects.
B+	A B+ is an average original seal with a major defect or an accumulation of moderate defects.
B	A B is an original seal that shows significant evidence of handling with several moderate-to-major defects.
C+	A C+ is an original seal that shows significant evidence of handling with several major defects.
C	A C is a heavily defaced original seal with several major defects. Some pieces will also be missing.

CGC Grading Scales

Card Grading Scale

Designations

Autograph Grades

Legacy Grade Key

Comic Grading Scale

Page Quality Scale

Restoration Grading Scale

Video Game Grading Scale

Seal Grades

Home Video Grading Scale

Seal Grades