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Have you ever seen those Pokémon cards sealed in a clear plastic case, with a note and a label at the top? That's a graded card. Grading means entrusting your card to an independent organization that will authenticate it, evaluate its condition on a precise scale, and then seal it in a protective case. Here's how it works, without jargon.
What is grading, concretely?
When you send a card for grading, the organization does three things:
- It authenticates the card: it verifies that it is genuine and has not been tampered with (recoloring, aggressive cleaning, restoration).
- It rates its condition: an expert examines the card under controlled light and assigns it a numerical grade.
- It seals it: the card is enclosed in a rigid case (the "slab") with its label, grade, and a unique certification number.
Once sealed, the card cannot be touched or damaged. Its grade becomes a reliable and recognized reference, both for you and for a future buyer.
How a card is graded
The grade doesn't just come out of nowhere. It's based on four criteria that you can learn to observe yourself:
- Centering: Is the border regular on all four sides, front and back? This is often the most penalizing criterion.
- Corners: Are they clean and well-formed? Wear (blunt, crushed, or whitened corners) is assessed, as is the original cut: the factory cut sometimes leaves a slightly angular or uneven corner instead of a clean curve. An imperfect corner is penalizing, even on a card that has never been played.
- Edges: Presence of small white spots, wear, or micro-nicks on the perimeter.
- Surface: Scratches, marks, fingerprints, printing defects, creases.
The organization combines these four points to arrive at an overall grade. A card can be perfect on three criteria and lose points on only one, for example, off-centering.
Understanding the grading scale
Most graders rate from 1 to 10, from most damaged to nearly perfect. High grades are the most sought after:
- 10: Card considered perfect or near-perfect. Depending on the grader, it carries a mention like "Gem Mint" or "Pristine." Some graders even distinguish several levels of 10: a Gold Label (a final 10 with only one sub-grade slightly below) and a Black Label, the rarest, reserved for cards perfect on all four criteria.
- 9 to 9.5: Excellent condition, tiny flaws visible only up close.
- 7 to 8: Very good condition with slight signs of wear.
- Below 7: Visible wear, the grade decreases with the card's actual condition.
Important: a maximum grade does not mean the same thing for all graders. Each has its own criteria and its own severity. That's why the grader's name is always indicated next to the grade.
Main graders
Several organizations coexist. The most well-known are CCC, PSA, BGS, PCA, and CGC. They do not have the same grading scale, reputation, turnaround time, or cost. Some are more established in France, others internationally. We compare all of this in detail in a dedicated article: how to choose your grader.
On Dojo, each graded card clearly indicates its grader, grade, and certification number, so you know exactly what you're buying. The grader authenticates and grades the card, not us: we simply relay their verdict.
Why grade a card?
- Protection: Once sealed, the card is protected from humidity, shocks, and time.
- Trust for resale: An independent grade reassures the buyer and avoids disputes over condition.
- Authentication: For valuable cards, knowing that the card is verified as authentic changes everything.
- Value: For the same card, a well-graded copy with a high grade generally sells better than an raw card.
Should you grade all your cards?
No. Grading has a cost and a lead time. It only makes sense if the added value exceeds this cost: a sought-after card, in good condition, or an item you cherish and want to protect long-term. For a common or already worn card, it's not cost-effective.
We detail when it's really worth it in should you get your Pokémon card graded.
And the condition of ungraded cards?
For our single cards (ungraded), we use the collectors' reference scale, from Near Mint to Played. The condition of each copy is specified on its product page. You can consult the details of this scale on our Card Conditions page.
Want to see graded cards? Browse our selection of slabbed Pokémon cards. A question about a specific card? Write to us, we'll answer.