Centering describes how evenly the card's image and borders sit within its edges — measured as a left/right and top/bottom ratio (like 60/40). It's one of the four pillars graders judge, alongside corners, edges, and surface. Centering matters because it's often the factor that caps a card's grade: a card with perfect corners and surface can still be held to a 9 (or lower) by off-center borders, and a perfectly centered copy can command a big premium. Modern cards are frequently miscut from the factory, so centering is worth checking before you pay grading fees. Hold the card straight-on and compare opposite borders; if it's noticeably lopsided, a top grade is unlikely.
Updated Jul 13, 2026