One of the biggest mistakes collectors make is trying to evaluate centering without first understanding what PSA has already accepted as Gem Mint. In this article, I demonstrate my process for establishing a PSA 10 centering baseline by studying an already-graded example and comparing it with my Gem10 Centering Tool. Using a 1987 Donruss Jose Canseco Diamond Kings card, I explain why every serious collector should create a centering benchmark before submitting sports cards to PSA. This process has become one of the most valuable parts of my pre-grading workflow and helps me submit stronger cards while avoiding unnecessary grading fees.
See the video on the YouTube Gem10 Channel
See the video on the YouTube The Card Grading King Channel
Transcript:
One of the first things I do before grading any sports card is establish a PSA 10 centering baseline.
Instead of guessing whether a card looks centered, I find an example that has already earned a PSA 10 and study it carefully. I normally locate these examples on eBay because they're easy to access and give me a real-world example of what PSA has accepted.
In this video, I use a 1987 Donruss Jose Canseco Diamond Kings card to demonstrate the process.
Using my Gem10 Centering Tool, I measure the borders and determine what acceptable centering looks like for this specific card. Once I understand those measurements, I have a much better idea of which cards deserve additional inspection and which ones should immediately be eliminated.
One lesson I've learned over the years is that not every card within a set shares the same border dimensions. Insert sets, subsets, and specialty cards often require their own centering baseline, so I never assume measurements from one card apply to every card in the set.
I also inspect both the front and the back of every card. Too many collectors overlook the reverse side, even though poor centering, edge wear, surface damage, and print defects on the back can easily keep a card from earning a top grade.
For me, centering is one of the fastest ways to reduce my submission pile. Establishing a PSA 10 baseline makes my grading process more consistent, more objective, and ultimately more profitable.
