Compare
Gemix vsPSA, BGS, CGC
Grading companies differ in how they grade and in what you get back with each card. Here is how the major companies and Gemix compare, based on publicly available information.
Comparison
Side by side
How grades are given, what information you receive, the slab, and how easy it is to submit from Japan.
How the grade is decided
- Gemix
- Four criteria; the final grade is based on the lowestCentering, corners, edges, surface
- PSA
- One overall grade for the whole card
- BGS
- Based on four assessed categoriesCentering, corners, edges, surface
- CGC
- One overall grade for the whole card
Grade scale
- Gemix
- 1–1010 comes in three tiers: 10, 10 Gold and 10 Black
- PSA
- 1–10Half grades for some levels. Top grade: GEM MT 10
- BGS
- 1–10 in half stepsTop grade: Pristine 10. All four subgrades at 10: Black Label
- CGC
- 1–10 with half gradesTop grade: Pristine 10, then Gem Mint 10
Subgrades
- Gemix
- YesAll four criteria shown in the Grading Report
- PSA
- —
- BGS
- Yes
- CGC
- —
Why the grade was given
- Gemix
- Each defect recorded by type, location and severity12+ grading codes, public via the cert number
- PSA
- No explanation of the grade, except on some plans
- BGS
- Down to the subgradesWhen subgraded, shows which category held the grade down
- CGC
- —
Card images
- Gemix
- High-resolution imagesShown with the defect locations
- PSA
- Photos of the slabOn the cert lookup
- BGS
- —
- CGC
- Photos of the slabOn the cert lookup
Slab
- Gemix
- Made in JapanStainless-steel label with anti-counterfeit laser engraving
- PSA
- Tamper-evident sealed slabWhite label with red accents
- BGS
- Thick slabLabel color varies by grade range
- CGC
- Clear slabQR code on the label links to the cert page
Submitting from Japan
- Gemix
- Japanese companySubmit in Japanese; domestic shipping both ways
- PSA
- Office in JapanJapanese-language submission; some grading done in Japan
- BGS
- No office in JapanShip overseas directly in English, or use an agent
- CGC
- Partner submission center in JapanAgents are also used
* As of October 2026
Why Gemix
Three things about Gemix
01
High transparency
Our patent-pending Grading Report records every defect — scratches, creases, stains and more — with 12+ grading codes showing type, location and severity, alongside high-resolution images.
02
Our four criteria, published
Cards are assessed on centering, corners, edges and surface, and the final grade is based on the lowest of the four. The full method is published on our Grading System page.
03
Everything within Japan
A Japanese company handles your submission in Japanese or English. Within Japan, cards travel by domestic shipping both ways and come back in a Japan-made slab.
Crossover
Already in another slab?
PSA
BGS
CGC
Cards in PSA, BGS or CGC slabs can be removed and graded again by Gemix (crossover). Because we grade to our own standards, the grade may differ from the original.
FAQ
FAQ
The biggest difference is our high level of transparency. The Gemix Grading Report records every defect with 12+ grading codes — type, location and severity — alongside high-resolution images, and anyone can view it with the cert number. Gemix is also a Japanese company, so collectors in Japan can submit in Japanese with domestic shipping both ways.
Grading standards differ between companies, so the same number does not necessarily mean the same condition. A Gemix 10 has two criteria at 10 and two at 9.5. Above it are 10 Gold (three criteria at 10) and 10 Black (all four at 10).
Yes. The scores for centering, corners, edges and surface are shown in the Grading Report. The final grade is based on the lowest of the four.
Yes. Cards in PSA, BGS or CGC slabs can be removed and graded again by Gemix (crossover). Because we grade to our own standards, the original grade is not guaranteed.
- PSA, BGS (Beckett Grading Services) and CGC are trademarks of their respective owners. Gemix Grading is not affiliated with these companies.
- Grading standards differ between companies, so the same number does not necessarily mean the same condition.