Pokémon card centering by set: the live centering report
How well centred are Pokémon cards, set by set? This report is built from real scans, measured the same way every time.
The short version. Of all anonymous scans so far, a share still being counted met PSA's 55/45 front centering limit for a 10. Centering varies a lot by set, because it comes down to how the cards were cut at the factory. The table below ranks sets by how many of their cards meet the PSA 10 limit.
The best-centred set so far is ; the worst is .
Which Pokémon sets have the best centering?
Each set is listed once 20 or more of its cards have been scanned. "Meet 55/45" is the share of cards centred well enough for a PSA 10; "60/40 or better" is the share good enough for a PSA 9.
| Set | Scans | Meet 55/45 (PSA 10) | 60/40 or better (PSA 9) | Average worst split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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How is centering measured?
From a photo of the front, the checker finds the printed border and measures its width down the middle of all four sides, then calculates the left-right and top-bottom splits. A card's centering is the worse of the two, which is how PSA judges it. Each card in this report was measured the same way, by the same code, so sets can be compared fairly.
What centering does a PSA 10 need?
About 55/45 or better on the front and 75/25 or better on the back. A PSA 9 allows about 60/40 on the front. The centering guide has the limits for every grade, and the centering calculator checks a single card.
Where does the data come from?
From collectors who chose to share their scans anonymously. Only the card's set and its two centering splits are recorded: no photos, no card details beyond the set, and nothing that identifies the person. Phone photos aren't lab conditions, and people may scan their best or worst cards more often than average, so treat these as a guide to how sets compare rather than exact print-run figures.
Can I use this data?
Yes. The figures are free to use under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence: credit "Should I Grade It? centering report" with a link to this page. The raw totals are at api.shouldigradeit.app/stats.
How can I add my cards?
Scan a card with the checker and say yes when it asks about the centering report, or switch it on any time in the app's Data tab.
Questions
What share of Pokémon cards are centred well enough for a PSA 10?
It varies by set. This report shows the share of scanned cards in each set that meet PSA's 55/45 front centering limit for a 10, updated as more cards are scanned.
Is my data shared if I scan a card?
Only if you agree. The app asks once, and only the card's set and centering splits are sent: no photos and nothing that identifies you.
Want the whole card graded, not just one part? Point your phone at it: the checker measures centering, corners, edges and surface, identifies the card, and shows its TCGplayer price raw and graded.
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