Guides
Graded cards, explained
The terms behind every price on Assetra: what the graders’ scales mean, how a perfect 10 differs from a 10, how to read a population report, and how to value a slab from completed sales. Short, factual and dated.
PSA vs BGS vs CGC: which grader is best for your cards
How PSA, BGS and CGC grading scales compare, how the market prices a 10 from each, what their population reports show, and how to choose a grader for a Pokémon, One Piece or sports card.
Updated 9 November 2026
The PSA grading scale, grade by grade
Every PSA grade from PR 1 to GEM MT 10, the half grades, what the OC, ST, PD, MC and MK qualifiers mean, and how card values step between grades.
Updated 9 November 2026
BGS Black Label, explained
What a Beckett Black Label is, how it differs from a BGS 10 Pristine and a 9.5 Gem Mint, how subgrades decide the final grade, and why a Black Label can be worth a multiple of a PSA 10.
Updated 9 November 2026
CGC Pristine 10 vs Gem Mint 10: what the difference is worth
How CGC Cards grades trading cards, what separates a CGC 10 Gem Mint from a Pristine 10, how each compares with a PSA 10, and how Assetra prices the two tiers.
Updated 9 November 2026
Population reports, and how to read one
What a PSA, BGS or CGC population report counts, what pop, pop higher and pop 1 mean, how gem rate is derived from it, why pops only grow, and how to read a pop report alongside sales.
Updated 9 November 2026
Gem rate, and why it moves prices
What a card’s gem rate is, how it is calculated from the population report, what counts as high or low, and why a low gem rate widens the price gap between a PSA 9 and a PSA 10.
Updated 9 November 2026
How much is my graded card worth? A method that holds up
A step-by-step way to value a PSA, BGS or CGC slab: identify the exact card, match the grader and grade, use completed sales rather than asking prices, read the recent median and the population, and understand what an estimated value means.
Updated 9 November 2026
For how the figures themselves are built, read the methodology.