MAG Standards
Complete documentation of our grading methodology. Every grade is backed by measurable criteria to ensure transparency, consistency, and fairness.
Overview
MAG uses a clean whole-number 1–10 scale, providing 10 distinct grades for clear, industry-standard condition assessment. Each grade is identified by its MAG number and described by a recognised condition term — shown as MAG <n> · <TERM> (e.g. "MAG 7 · NEAR MINT").
Each card is assessed on four areas: Centering, Corners, Edges, and Surface. The final grade is calculated using the geometric mean of all four assessments, rounded to the nearest whole number. These assessments are used internally to arrive at the final grade — the certificate shows the final grade and condition term.
Complete Grade Scale
Gem Mint
Virtually flawless in all aspects
Investment grade; museum quality
Mint
Excellent condition with only the slightest imperfections
Premium investment piece
NM-Mint
Near Mint to Mint — very minor wear under close inspection
High-end collectible
Near Mint
Sharp card with light, minor handling wear
Quality collectible
Excellent-Mint
Above-average condition with noticeable minor flaws
Solid collectible
Excellent
Moderate wear with no major defects
Standard collectible
VG-Excellent
Very Good to Excellent — visible wear from handling
Budget collector option
Very Good
Significant wear but fully intact and displayable
Affordable entry point
Good
Heavy wear throughout; structurally sound
Placeholder; upgrade candidate
Poor
Major condition issues; authenticated and encapsulated
Authentication value only
Centering Standards
Centering measures how evenly the printed image is positioned within the card borders. We measure both Left/Right (L/R) and Top/Bottom (T/B) centering ratios.
| Grade | Tolerance | Ratio range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ±2% | 48/52 – 52/48 | Virtually perfect centering |
| 9 | ±8% | 42/58 – 58/42 | Minor shift, barely noticeable |
| 8 | ±13% | 37/63 – 63/37 | Noticeable shift |
| 7 | ±18% | 32/68 – 68/32 | Clearly off-center |
| 6 | ±23% | 27/73 – 73/27 | Heavily off-center |
Both L/R and T/B must meet the threshold. The worse of the two ratios determines the centering grade.
Defect Glossary
Whitening
Exposed paper fibers along edges from handling or wear; appears as white lines or spots
Fuzzing
Separation of paper fibers at corners creating a soft, fuzzy appearance
Ding
Small impact mark on edge or corner from being dropped or hit
Chip
Small piece of material missing from edge or corner
Nick
Small cut or notch in the edge
Blunting
Flattened corner tip from wear or pressure
Rounding
Curved corner that has lost its sharp point
Print line
Factory printing defect appearing as a line across the card
Print dot
Factory printing defect appearing as a small spot or speck
Scratch
Post-production surface abrasion; may be light (shallow) or deep
Scuff
Area of surface wear affecting gloss, often from sliding against other cards
Crease
Fold mark that has broken the surface; may be visible or felt
Dent
Indentation in the surface without breaking the coating
Wax stain
Residue from pack wax, typically appears as discoloration
Gloss loss
Dulling of the card's shine in specific areas
Diamond cut
Factory miscut resulting in uneven borders and angled corners
Off-center
Image not properly centered within the card borders
Misprint
Color registration errors, missing ink, or other printing issues
Roller mark
Impression from printing machinery visible on surface
Fish eye
Small bubble or void in the printing
Industry Comparison
See how MAG grades compare to PSA and CGC grading scales. These are condition-scale equivalents only, not estimates of market value.
| MAG Grade | MAG Label | PSA Equivalent | CGC Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Gem Mint | 10 - Gem Mint | 10 - Pristine / Gem Mint | Virtually flawless |
| 9 | Mint | 9 - Mint | 9 - Mint | — |
| 8 | NM-Mint | 8 - NM-MT | 8 - NM/Mint | — |
| 7 | Near Mint | 7 - NM | 7 - Near Mint | — |
| 6 | Excellent-Mint | 6 - EX-MT | 6 - Excellent/NM | — |
| 5 | Excellent | 5 - EX | 5 - Excellent | — |
| 4 | VG-Excellent | 4 - VG-EX | 4 - VG/Excellent | — |
| 3 | Very Good | 3 - VG | 3 - Very Good | — |
| 2 | Good | 2 - Good | 2 - Good | — |
| 1 | Poor | 1 - Poor | 1 - Poor | — |
Important Notes:
- • MAG, PSA, and CGC all use a whole-number 1-10 scale, so grades correspond directly (MAG n = PSA n = CGC n)
- • MAG's geometric mean calculation may result in different final grades than PSA/CGC for cards with uneven subgrades
- • This comparison is approximate; each grading company has unique standards
Final Grade Calculation
Formula: Geometric Mean
Example
Centering
9
Corners
9
Edges
8
Surface
9
= (9 × 9 × 8 × 9)^(1/4)
= (5,832)^(1/4)
= 8.74
Rounded → MAG 9 · MINT
Why geometric mean?
- One significantly low subgrade appropriately lowers the final grade.
- Balanced cards are rewarded — a card cannot receive a high grade with one major deficiency.