PSA Grading
Professional Sports Authenticator
PSA is the foremost authentication and grading authority for trading cards and memorabilia globally with over 65 million items certified since its establishment in 1991.
Grading Standards
Explore numerical scales and more to see how PSA sets the standard for collectors.
What PSA Grade
Trading cards, packs, autographs, signed memorabilia, photography and beyond.
Cert Verification
Each PSA-graded item is chronicled and can be easily accessed to confirm validity.
PSA Increase Collectability
A high PSA grade adds status, scarcity, and value.
PSA Increase Protection
Proprietary encapsulation preserves your passions.
PSA Increase Value
PSA-certified items outsell the field in most sales and auctions.
Additional Terms & Info
Qualifiers:
Any and all cards with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. or evidence of the impression left from the act of writing will be designated "MK."
Ungradable Cards:
PSA will not grade cards that bear evidence of trimming, re-coloring, restoration, or any other forms of tampering, or are of questionable authenticity.
The Grading of Hand-Cut Cards:
PSA will grade hand-cut cards from panels, boxes, or strip issues (like Post Cereal, Hostess, Bazooka), but not traditional sheet-cut cards that were also issued in packs (e.g., a 1979 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky). To receive a numerical grade, the card must show full or nearly full visible borders; otherwise, it will be labeled “Authentic.” Cards cut too small or with poor eye appeal may be rejected entirely.
A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card.
Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse.
A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: a very slight wax stain on reverse, a minor printing imperfection or slightly off white borders. Centering must be approximately 60/40 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the card can exhibit the following: a very slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
A PSA NM 7 is a card with just a slight surface wear visible upon close inspection. There may be slight fraying on some corners. Picture focus may be slightly out-of register. A minor printing blemish is acceptable. Slight wax staining is acceptable on the back of the card only. Most of the original gloss is retained. Centering must be approximately 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
A PSA 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which does not detract from its overall appeal. A very light scratch may be detected only upon close inspection. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may show some loss of original gloss, may have minor wax stain on reverse, may exhibit very slight notching on edges and may also show some off-whiteness on borders. Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.
On PSA 5 cards, very minor rounding of the corners is becoming evident. Surface wear or printing defects are more visible. There may be minor chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent. Focus of picture may be slightly out-of-register. Several light scratches may be visible upon close inspection, but do not detract from the appeal of the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
A PSA 4 card's corners may be slightly rounded. Surface wear is noticeable but modest. The card may have light scuffing or light scratches. Some original gloss will be retained. Borders may be slightly off-white. A light crease may be visible. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.
A PSA 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme. Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit noticeable wear. Much, but not all, of the card's original gloss will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored. A crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may show on obverse and wax staining on reverse may be more prominent. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.
A PSA 2 card's corners show accelerated rounding and surface wear is starting to become obvious. A good card may have scratching, scuffing, light staining, or chipping of enamel on obverse. There may be several creases. Original gloss may be completely absent. Card may show considerable discoloration. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.
A PSA 1.5 card's corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting framing of the picture. The surface of the card will show advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. The picture will possibly be quite out-of-register and the borders may have become brown and dirty. The card may have one or more heavy creases. In order to achieve a Fair grade, a card must be fully intact. Even though the card may be heavily worn, it cannot achieve this grade if it is missing solid pieces of the card as a result of a major tear, etc. This would include damage such as the removal of the back layer of the card or an entire corner. The centering must be approximately 90/10 or better on the front and back.
A PSA 1 will exhibit many of the same qualities of a PSA 1.5 but the defects may have advanced to such a serious stage that the eye appeal of the card has nearly vanished in its entirety. A Poor card may be missing one or two small pieces, exhibit major creasing that nearly breaks through all the layers of cardboard or it may contain extreme discoloration or dirtiness throughout that may make it difficult to identify the issue or content of the card on either the front or back. A card of this nature may also show noticeable warping or another type of destructive defect.
Cards that exhibit high-end qualities within each particular grade, between PSA 2 and PSA 9, may achieve a half-point increase. While PSA graders will evaluate all of the attributes possessed by a card in order to determine if the card may be eligible, there will be a clear focus on centering.
This means that PSA is only certifying that the item is genuine, without a numerical grade. This may be due to the existence of an alteration, one with malice or otherwise, a major defect or the original submitter may have requested that PSA encapsulate the card without a grade. The "Authentic" label means that the item, in our opinion, is real but nothing more.
This means that while PSA is certifying that the item is genuine, due to the existence of alterations, the item cannot receive a numerical grade. The term altered may mean that the card shows evidence of one or more of the following: trimming, recoloring, restoration, and/or cleaning. Items receiving the "Authentic Altered" designation, in our opinion, are genuine with the presence of some type of alteration. This designation is used on a case-by-case basis, space permitting, and "AA" must be listed on the submission form as the desired minimum grade.
Additional Terms & Info
Qualifiers:
PSA will grade nearly every authentic ticket submitted. Tickets having significant flaws will receive a "qualified" grade as follows:
MK (Marks) - Tickets with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. will be designated "MK."
All tickets that show evidence of alteration will be labeled "AUTHENTIC" and with one of the following qualifiers:
Reattached - Any ticket that has been separated and reattached with glue, tape, staples or other adhesive.
Reinforced - Any ticket that has any perforations still attached and has been glued, taped, stapled together to keep the ticket from completely separating.
Trimmed - Any ticket that has evidence of trimming.
Attributes include four sharp corners, and a front and back that are free of any impressions, indentations, or minor abrasions. The ticket must be free of staining; however, an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn't impair the overall appeal of the ticket. Ticket printing quality must be in the "Medium/Dark to Dark" range in order to qualify for this grade. In other words, noticeable fading may prevent a ticket from reaching PSA 10 status. Centering must fall within approximately 55/45 to 60/40 or better on the front and back of the ticket.
Quality must be very close in nature to a PSA 10 but the following allowances may be made. Very light "touches" at one of the corners may be acceptable so long as the corner integrity remains intact. A slight surface "dimple" may be allowed if extremely limited.
A ticket of this quality will appear to be a PSA 9 at first glance but one of the following additional defects may be present. Very light "touches" at two to three corners, apparent to the naked eye, would be acceptable under this standard. A very slight surface abrasion or evidence of modest surface damage, on the front or back, may be acceptable if limited. For instance, a faint impression from a paper clip would be an example of this type of acceptable defect. "Medium to Medium/Dark" printing of game information is required.
A ticket of this quality will appear to be a PSA 8 at first glance but one of the following additional defects may be present. Beyond light corner "touches" evident at up to all four corners, minor fraying may be present at up to two corners as long as the integrity of each corner remains intact. The ticket may show slight staining in a limited area. Two light surface abrasions may be present. Here, a minor printing defect may be acceptable and the graphic or text may exhibit slight fading.
Quality must be very close in nature to a PSA 7, but up to two of the following allowances may be made. Fraying may be present on up to three corners. A very light surface crease may be present. Two or three light surface abrasions may be present. Graphic or text may have slightly greater fading than in a PSA 7 example.
A ticket of this quality may appear to be a PSA 6 at first glance, but up to two of the following additional defects may be present. Fraying may be present on up to all four corners. One to two light-to-medium surface creases may be present. The ticket may show some obvious staining in a limited area on the front or back. Two to three surface abrasions may be present. Graphic or text fading may be more meaningful. Minor surface paper loss, resulting from prior gluing or taping of the ticket to an album page, for example, may be acceptable if restricted to the back of the ticket.
A ticket of this quality will appear to be a PSA 5 at first glance, but up to two of the following additional defects may be present. Two to three light-to-medium surface creases may be present. A fold or full crease that does not cross the entire ticket may be present. The ticket may show some obvious, mid-range to dark staining in a limited area on the front or back. Defects such as general wear, minor water damage, fading of the graphic or text, print defects and paper loss on the reverse may be slightly more severe.
Quality must be close in nature to a PSA 4, but up to two of the following additional defects may be present All of the ticket's corners, and in some instances the ticket's edges, may exhibit noticeable to pronounced wear. The surface quality may be subject to three or more light-to-medium surface creases; this ticket may also show some warping. A fold or full crease may exist and extend over the entire ticket. Several surface scratches may exist. One or two non-game related punctures or holes may be present. Medium-to-heavy staining, and/or loss of print in one to two areas, on the front or back, may exist. Discoloration as in "yellowing" or fading of original ink color or very slight darkening in the case of a thermal-type paper stock ticket, over most or all of the front and/or back of the ticket may be observed. Some surface paper loss may be visible on the front or back of the ticket. Defects such as general wear, minor water damage, fading of the graphic or text and paper loss on the reverse may be slightly more severe.
A PSA 2 must be close in nature to a PSA 3, but up to two of the following additional defects may be present. Two or more medium-to-heavy surface creases may be present, and this ticket may also show noticeable warping. Up to two folds or full creases may exist, and each one may extend over the entire ticket. Multiple and deep surface scratching may exist. Three non-game related punctures or holes may be present. Defects such as general wear, minor water damage, fading of the graphic or text and paper loss on the reverse may be substantial.
A PSA 1.5 will appear abused and exhibit significant flaws and damage, including wear on the edges and corners, surface creases, scratches, non-game related punctures and warping. Staining, paper loss, fading and damage may also be present.
A PSA 1 will appear heavily abused. The ticket's corners and edges may exhibit pronounced and extreme wear. Multiple creases, scratches, non-game related punctures and extreme warping may be present. Meaningful staining, paper loss, fading and damage may be present.
The same basic criteria (as for full tickets) apply to stubs, with the additional tearing/removal factor of the "audit stub" (by the gate attendant) or, in some cases, a "fan stub." The shape and severity of the tear/removal of the stub, with all other condition qualities being equal, may affect the final grade of a stub. As expected, the more severe and less defined the tear/removal, the lower the grade of the stub. In some cases, no excess tearing (beyond the acceptable limits for a stub) will be allowed within a particular grade. Graders also reserve the right, based on eye appeal, not to render a grade on a severely damaged ticket stub and, instead, apply the "AUTHENTIC" label. That way, the ticket is authenticated and protected in the PSA holder - it simply is void of a specific grade.
Grade Definitions
- Packs are graded under their own criteria and NOT by the same standards as sports cards and TCG cards.
- Grading descriptions follow for Wax packs, Cellos, most Ultra-Modern, and TCG plastic and foil-type packaging.
Additional Terms & Info
The PSA Unopened Pack Grading Approach:
First and foremost, authentication is the most crucial step to the PSA grading process. With the prices generated by unopened packs in the marketplace, most notably in relation to vintage material, resealing and the outright counterfeiting of packs have been major industry problems. PSA will not grade any pack that has been deemed by the experts to be resealed, repaired or altered in any way. If a pack cannot pass this first step in the PSA process, the packs will not be eligible for encapsulation.
A PSA 10 wax and/or cello pack is a virtually perfect pack that should exhibit pristine corners and edges, which are free of any holes, tears or wear of any sort (including wear to the corner folds). The seal on the reverse must be virtually undisturbed and free of any soiling or toning. The sealed folds on the reverse must also lay flush to the pack and not exhibit any lift from the seal. In addition, the pack must be "fresh" in appearance and free of any water or mildew damage to the wrapper or gum in order to qualify for this grade. The centering of the pack text and image must be 60/40 or better. There may be an allowance made for a small printing imperfection as long as the pack still shows superb eye appeal.
Note: The top card within a cello pack must be centered approximately 60/40 or better.
A PSA 10 plastic and/or foil pack is a virtually ideal pack that exhibits sharp corners and clean, problem-free edges. The pack should appear fresh. Seals are complete and intact and there is no visible wear or damage to the pack upon first inspection. Allowance may be made for small imperfections that do not have adverse impact on the eye appeal of the pack. The centering of the pack text and image must be 60/40 or better.
A PSA 9 wax and/or cello pack appears to have all the attributes of a PSA 10 but may exhibit one of the following flaws: a slight touch of corner wear (absent a hole or tear in the wrapper), minor toning or soiling to the seal on the reverse or a slight centering imperfection to the wrap. The centering of the pack text and image must be 75/25 or better. In addition, the pack must be "fresh" in appearance and free of any water or mildew damage to the wrapper or gum in order to qualify for this grade.
Note: The top card within a cello pack must be centered approximately 65/35 or better.
A PSA 9 plastic and/or foil pack appears to have all of the attributes of a PSA 10 pack, but may exhibit some of the following flaws as long as they do not negatively impact eye appeal: a slight touch of corner wear, minor roller mark or crimp hole, vent holes evident on the side of pack, minor edge tick that does not break color or tear the packaging, a variance in pack-cut symmetry, and a fresh appearance. The centering of the pack text and image must be 75/25 or better.
A PSA 8 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 9 but may possess one or more of the following technical imperfections upon close inspection: slight corner wear, pin-sized hole/tear, wrinkle in the surface of the wax/cellophane wrapping, slight toning or soiling on the seal, very slight toning of the wrapper itself and/or a slight centering imperfection to the wrap. The centering of the pack text and image must be 90/10 or better. In addition, the pack must be "fresh" in appearance and free of any water or mildew damage to the wrapper or gum to qualify for this grade.
Note: The top card within a cello pack must be centered approximately 70/30 or better.
A PSA 8 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 9 but may possess one or more of the following technical imperfections upon close inspection: slight wear or bend in corners, a pin-sized hole/tear or nick on corners, slight surface scratch, edge ticks that do not break the foil, a wrinkle, roller-mark, or fin impression on the surface of the wrapping, or slight separation on the seal. The pack must be "fresh" in appearance and free of any water or mildew damage to the wrapper or gum to qualify for this grade. The centering of the pack text and image must be 90/10 or better.
A PSA 7 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 8 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: there may be slight wear on corners, pin-hole/tears on the corners or edges, a very minor tear in the wrapper itself, light toning or soiling on the seal, and/or a small stain, possibly due to water or mildew damage. A small allowance may be made for very light gum bleeding or soiling through the wrapper, not to reach the size of the gum contained within the pack.
Note: This is the highest grade a cello pack can receive if the top card is 90/10. This is also the highest grade a pack can receive if the wax wrapper is a complete manufacturer miswrap, where there is a severe centering imperfection to the wrap.
A PSA 7 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 8 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: there may be slight wear or bends on the corners, pin-hole/tears on the corners or edges, split or fractured corners, a very minor tear in the wrapper itself, separation of the seal, and/or a small tear to the fin.
Note: This is also the highest grade a pack can receive if the pack text and image is 100/0 or mis-wrapped.
A PSA 6 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 7 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: wear may be present on corners and/or the pack may show light tearing on multiple corners. In addition, the pack may exhibit light tears on the edges of the wrappers, wrinkles on the surface of the wax/cellophane wrapper along with other types of small surface defects. The reverse seal may have soiling or toning as a result of water or mildew damage, as long as it is not deemed severe. The gum or wax wrapper can begin to show bleeding or soiling through the wrapper, but it must be limited to the size of the gum.
Note: This is also the highest grade a cello pack can receive if the top card is miscut.
A PSA 6 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 7 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: wear may be present on corners and/or the pack may show light tearing on corners. In addition, the pack may exhibit pack leaks on the seal, light tears on the edges of the wrappers, wrinkles on the surface of the wrapper along with other types of small surface defects on the fins and/or seals. The seals may be slightly compromised as long as it is not deemed severe.
A PSA 5 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 6 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: wear may be present on corners along with clear corner tears and/or edge tears. Under this grade, a pack may exhibit staining or discoloration of the wrapper, possibly due to water or mildew damage. The surface of a cello pack may exhibit a large split through the protective wrapping. That wrapping may also be misaligned but, in order to qualify under this grade, a sizable portion of the seal must remain secure. In addition, the surface of the wrapper may show soiling damage from the gum or wax.
A PSA 5 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 6 but may possess more of the following flaws: wear/tears may be present on corners along with clear corner tears and/or edge tears. Under this grade, a pack may exhibit staining or discoloration of the wrapper, possibly due to water or sun damage. The surface of the pack may exhibit a large split through the protective wrapping. That wrapping may also be misaligned but, in order to qualify under this grade, a sizable portion of the seal must remain secure.
A PSA 4 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 5 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: wear will, most likely, be present on corners along with holes and/or tears on the corners and edges. A severe tear to one of the edges may be acceptable under this grade. The seal may be misaligned and partly raised but a somewhat sizable portion of that original seal must remain intact. The surface of the pack may exhibit some discoloration, staining or soiling, possibly due to water or mildew damage. A cello pack may have a couple of severe splits through the protective wrapping as long as all the contained cards are held securely in their package.
A PSA 4 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 5 but may possess one or more of the following flaws: wear will, most likely, be present on corners along with holes and/or tears on the corners and/or the edges. A severe tear to one of the edges or the fins may be acceptable under this grade. The seal may be misaligned and partly raised but a somewhat sizable portion of that original seal must remain intact. The surface of the pack may exhibit some discoloration, staining or soiling, possibly due to water or sun damage.
A PSA 3 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 4 but may possess some additional, severe flaws such as moderate tears on corners and along the edges. The seal may be heavily worn and the pack may be visibly soiled. The surface can be discolored, stained and have heavy mildew damage that begins to bleed from the surface of the wrapper into the edges of the pack.
A PSA 3 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 4 but may possess some additional, severe flaws such as moderate tears on corners and along the edges. The seal may be heavily worn and the pack may be visibly soiled. The surface can be discolored, stained and have heavy mildew damage that begins to bleed from the surface of the wrapper into the edges of the pack.
A PSA 2 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 3 but may possess some additional, severe flaws. Major tears may appear on corners and along the edges. The seal may have heavy soiling or even residue from a foreign source, which hinders the eye appeal substantially. The corners and edges of the contained cards may be exposed; however, the cards must still be held in place by the package and cannot show any evidence of removal.
A PSA 2 plastic and/or foil pack is a pack that exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 3 but may possess some additional, severe flaws. Major tears may appear on corners and along the edges. The seal may have heavy soiling or even residue from a foreign source, which hinders the eye appeal substantially. The corners and edges of the contained cards may be exposed; however, the cards must still be held in place by the package and cannot show any evidence of removal.
A PSA 1 wax and/or cello pack exhibits similar attributes to a PSA 2 but may possess some additional, severe flaws. Severe water damage may be present where it has seeped into the pack itself, affecting the cards contained within. In fact, the pack may show signs of warping as a result of the water damage. The wrapper may not be completely legible from staining, discoloration or other wear and tear but must remain legible enough to determine authenticity. In addition, while the pack itself may be severely damaged, some portion of the original seal must be intact.
A PSA 1 plastic and/or foil pack exhibits severe flaws. Severe water damage may be present where it has seeped into the pack itself, affecting the cards contained within. In fact, the pack may show signs of warping as a result of the water damage. The wrapper may not be completely legible from staining, discoloration or other wear and tear but it must remain legible enough for the experts to determine authenticity. In addition, while the pack itself may be severely damaged, some portion of the original seal must be intact.
Additional Terms & Info
Grading Approach:
The below points will be taken into consideration when grading and be factored into the final grade at the grader's discretion based on a number of factors, including the location and the severity of the damage and how it detracts from the eye appeal:
- Damage to the figure itself
- Paint flaws on the figure
- Damage to the plastic insert
- Price sticker being present
- Sticker residue
Ineligible Items:
A Funko Pop! exhibiting any of the following will not be graded and the customer will be assessed an evaluation fee (fee to be determined):
- A counterfeit Funko Pop!
- A missing or broken piece on the figure
- Significant paint defects on the figure
- Alteration of any kind, including a swapped sticker, a swapped window, recoloring on the box or figure, or a customized/repainted box or figure
Ineligible Items:
A designation reserved for Funko Pop! that comes directly from a sealed master case.
This is as good as it gets! A Funko Pop! graded PSA 10 will be virtually flawless. The box must exhibit a clean window that's free of any scuffs, scratches, or dents, and have sharply folded corners. It will have perfectly sealed sticker application(s), and ultra clean surfaces on all six sides.
A Funko Pop! that receives a grade of PSA 9 may appear perfect at first glance, but upon closer inspection you may find 2-3 minor (but visible) imperfections. Examples of such flaws would be a very light scratch on the window, light indentations in the cardboard, a frayed corner, a small amount of sticker wear or residue, or a corner fold that isn't perfectly square.
Still a high-end Funko Pop!, a PSA 8.5 may have a couple noticeable, but still somewhat minor, flaws. This box may exhibit a very light or extremely small crease, multiple touched or imperfectly folded corners, light scratches on the window, ink smudges, a micro-tear on a corner, indentation lines, or other similarly visible flaws.
A Funko Pop! that receives a grade of PSA 8 is going to exhibit moderate flaws that start to detract from its presentation. Examples of such flaws include light creasing, a lightly frayed corner, window scratches or scuffs, a very small stain, micro-tears on multiple corners or minor shelf wear.
A PSA 7.5 will display well, but will also exhibit minor flaws apparent upon closer inspection. Defects can include moderate creases, a minor corner tear, scratches or scuffs on the window, damage to the sticker, a moderately damaged corner corner, or a heavy indentation.
A Funko Pop! that is given a grade of PSA 7 will show a few moderate flaws that detract from the overall visual appeal. These defects can include a heavy crease, a moderate corner tear, light yellowing or a small stain, a badly scratched or scuffed window, a very small tear, a light box-cutter scratch, mis-folded corners or moderate shelf wear.
A Funko Pop! that receives a PSA 6.5 will have multiple visible flaws, such as: a heavy crease, a crushed corner, a badly scratched or scuffed window, yellowing or staining, a moderate tear, a small amount of paper loss, and other visible damage.
A PSA 6 will exhibit a number of apparent flaws, which may include heavy creasing, badly damaged corners, obvious window scuffing, paper loss, significant shelf wear, stains or yellowing, or a moderate tear.
A Funko Pop! at PSA 5.5 level, shows some areas of crushing, heavy creasing, a large stain, paper loss, multiple corner tears or a badly damaged window.
The PSA 5 grading tier allows for a Funko Pop! to show significant damage, such as multiple crushed corners, a window tear, a large stain or significant yellowing, heavy creases, multiple corner tears, heavy shelf wear or a heavy box-cutter slice.
A Funko Pop! that grades PSA 4.5 exhibits multiple significant flaws, including crushing, heavy corner tears, a heavily scratched or torn window, stains, moderate paper loss, or a pen/ink mark.
At the PSA 4 level, a Funko Pop! will exhibit heavy wear and tear, including sun-fading, heavy crushing, a cracked window, moderate paper loss, multiple stains or a heavy tear.
A Funko Pop! graded at PSA 3.5 has significant flaws. These flaws may include heavy tears, a crushed box, sun-fading, heavy stains or a torn window.
A Funko Pop! that receives a PSA 3 will exhibit extreme damage that can include heavy sun-fading, large stains, heavy tears, a partially unglued window or seam or heavy paper loss.
If a Funko Pop! receives a grade of PSA 2.5, it will exhibit all the qualities of a PSA 2, but will maintain a bit of structural integrity.
At the PSA 2 level, the box will barely function and will appear to be falling apart. Flaws will include heavy crushing, a mostly unglued window or seam, heavy tears in multiple areas, heavy stains or sun-fading, or large tears.
At the lowest possible grade of PSA 1, you can expect the box of a Funko Pop! to be almost completely falling apart. Flaws can include an almost complete ungluing of the window (the window still must be present), heavy stains, sun-bleaching, multiple areas of paper loss, or large tears.
At the lowest possible grade of PSA 1, you can expect the box of a Funko Pop! to be almost completely falling apart. Flaws can include an almost complete ungluing of the window (the window still must be present), heavy stains, sun-bleaching, multiple areas of paper loss, or large tears.
Additional Terms & Info
Authentic (AU): Used to verify a book/magazine or autograph without assigning a grade.
Cover (CVR): Front, back, or full cover only (no pages).
Page (PG): Single page or wrap without covers.
N4 Questionable Authenticity: Item or autograph appears fake; not encapsulated, but fees apply.
N9 Don’t Grade: Item is ungradable (e.g., oversized/obscure); no fee charged unless later verified with additional sources.
A PSA 10 is a truly remarkable book that is virtually perfect. It will have sharp corners with no visible stress or wear, no spine stress that breaks color, no edge wear, full gloss (if the book was manufactured with a glossy surface), and bright colors. This book will have white pages.
A PSA 9.8 book will have sharp corners but can have very minimal wear, very minor spine stress, or perhaps very minor edge wear. It will have excellent gloss (if the book was manufactured with a glossy surface) and deep colors. Page quality is almost always off-white to white or better, but there are some exceptions if the book is virtually perfect overall. Small arrival dates and pedigree codes are allowed.
A PSA 9.6 book will have sharp corners but can have very minimal wear, minor spine stress with a few color breaks, scuffs, or perhaps very minor edge or tiny corner wear. Excellent gloss (if the book was manufactured with a glossy surface) and deep colors. Paper is supple and most often “like new,” although page quality can fall in a range of cream/off-white to white. Arrival dates and pedigree codes are allowed. Distributor markings are allowed with minor overspray.
A book in this range may have a few tiny spine stresses, an edge tear, or minor corner blunting. Covers are flat, fairly well-centered and firmly secured, with little fading and trace surface wear. Staples are clean. Paper is supple with page quality in cream/off-white to white ranges. Some binding and/or printing defects. Unobtrusive date stamps or arrival dates in pencil or ink.
A book in this range will show increasing signs of wear and an accumulation of defects. Covers could have minor bends, minor creases that break color, or minor chips on the edges. Minor sun or dust shadows, and minor tanning may be present. Minor tape may be present at the lower end of the spectrum of grades but will be noted. This range can include an otherwise Near Mint book that has a tiny piece out or a small spine split. Books manufactured with a single staple with a neatly detached centerfold will start at the 8.0 grade. Any damage to the centerfold or edges affects the grade further.
A book in this range will have an accumulation of defects, which can include longer cover tears, color discoloration, fading, soiling, or light stains. A book might have covers detached at one staple, a detached centerfold at both staples, or missing inserts. Pages can be brownish. Stress lines and creases on the spine. Minor amounts of tape may be present. This range can include an otherwise Near Mint book that has a piece out or a longer spine split.
A book in this range will have an increasing amount of defects, including major creases, low to no cover gloss, scuffs, abrasions, tears, and/or soiling. Low inside paper quality, although the book may have white paper quality with cover defects. Small pieces can be missing. A larger amount of tape might be present. The book is complete with all pages. Staples may have rust or damage. A book manufactured with two staples might have a detached cover.
A book in this range is complete with all pages but will have a few glaring defects or an accumulation of many smaller defects. Larger pieces can be missing, with the covers or some pages being detached. Significant wear, with gloss usually missing. Inside paper quality can range from brittle to white. The book usually has creases, scuffs, tears, abrasions, spine splits, soiling, and/or stains. A significant amount of tape may be present. A book in this range could appear as a high grade book with interior defects, or a large corner off.
A book in this range will usually look worn and damaged, may be stained, may have extensive tape repairs and could be heavily creased, torn, and/or soiled. Stories will be complete but could have an ad page, coupon, and/or panels missing. Spine and/or cover may be completely split. Paper quality ranges from brittle to white. Staples may be missing.
This book will have major defects, which may include larger tears, heavy creases, abrasions, and severe stains to the point where cover inks are gone. Story and ad page(s) may be missing, and interior page panels and/or coupons can be missing. Excessive tape may be present. This could include an otherwise high grade book that has missing story pages or missing the front or back cover (not both). Page quality ranges from white to extreme brittleness.
This grade reflects an incomplete book. Most often this is a coverless book that may be complete or incomplete. It might be missing wraps, pages, or staples. Page quality is very low from brittle to white.
Terms & Info:
The term “white” can mean “as printed, like new,” which applies to more recent books that have pages printed in glossy stock of various colors. Some early Golden Age books will have pink or blue pages, so while the term “white” does not apply, the varying degrees of paper degradation do. Exceptionally white pages are a classification of a book’s paper quality prior to the Modern era (1984 & earlier).
PSA has 10 different page quality designations as follows:
- Exceptionally White
- White
- Off-White/White
- Off-White
- Cream/Off-White
- Cream
- Tan/Off-White
- Tan
- Slightly Brittle
- Brittle
Before a comic book or magazine’s grade is finalized, it is checked for restoration and conservation by our restoration detection experts. If restoration or conservation is discovered, PSA will indicate this on the label, classifying it as either restored or conserved, along with notes detailing the extent of restoration or conservation.
PSA first determines if the restoration performed is professional or amateur, and then assigns it one of the five following levels:
A - Slight
B - Slight/Moderate
C - Moderate
D - Moderate/Extensive
E - Extensive
PSA has one classification for Conservation, which will be determined as Professional (P) and noted as to what was performed. Any amateur Conservation will be listed as Restoration.
Once the book has been checked for all types of alterations, it enters the final grading phase.
Restoration is the act of adding foreign material to a comic book or magazine through certain techniques with the intent to improve its appearance and desirability. All restored books will be graded with the normal grading process but will list the word “Restored” on the label.
Some examples of restoration include:
Pieces added or holes filled
Added color (color touch)
Some types of cleaning
Trimmed pages or covers
Cover re-glossing
Glue repairs
PSA has one classification for Conservation, which will be determined as Professional (P) and noted as to what was performed. Any amateur Conservation will be listed as Restoration.
Conservation describes the processes used to arrest and prevent further deterioration of a paper collectible. This can include several techniques and materials, all of which can be considered repairs or reinforcement. The goal of conservation is to preserve the structural integrity of the comic while removing all things that are detrimental to its longevity.
All books determined to have been conserved in any way, will be graded by the same standards but will receive the “Conserved” designation on the label.
Only the use of archivally safe products (which are reversible) are allowed for a book to be considered for the conservation classification. This may include some of the same enhancements as restoration, such as:
Certain types of cleaning
Tear seals or spine split seals
Reinforcement or piece reattachment
Staple replacement
Trimming is cutting one or all open edges of the book cover and or pages. We will determine if the entire book has been trimmed or only the cover or only the interior pages.
All trimmed books will be graded with the normal process but will list the word “Trimmed” on the label, indicating which edges have been trimmed on the label or in the notes section. Trimming is considered an alteration.
The term “married” means to take a cover, page(s), centerfold, or even a coupon from one book and then insert or anchor it into another book to make that book whole.
All married comic books or magazines will be graded with the normal grading process but will list the word “Married” on the label.
It is widely accepted in the comic book and magazine collecting community that tape is not considered a form of restoration or conservation but rather a defect. If tape is present, the grade will be affected.
As part of a promotional campaign from 1974-1975, Marvel Comics printed stamps of Marvel characters onto the interior comic book advertising page. The removal of these stamps will affect a comic's grade.
Certain bends, creases, and other stress marks can break through the color ink of a book, leaving white lines on the surface.
Distributor ink is ink that is painted or sprayed onto the edges of comic book stacks as a special coding used by distributors.
During the application of distributor ink, spray nozzles can sometimes become stuck and spray too much paint onto the stacked bundle, resulting in overspray. This can most prominently affect the top book but can also affect the edges and spine of the other books. This is a defect and will affect the grade.
The arrival date is a marking that can usually be found on the cover of a comic book, which is placed by the distributor or newsstand dealer to note when the book was placed on the newsstand. These markings can be stamped or written with pen, pencil, or grease pencil.
A pedigree is a comic book determined to be from a certified original owner collection of substantial size and or condition. Many times a pedigree collection will have special markings, dates, or codes. Most often these markings do not affect the grade. PSA will determine the legitimacy of a pedigree collection.